


A Thousand Years

by AnimeNugget



Category: Naruto
Genre: Adventure & Romance, F/M, Founding of Konoha, Pre-Konoha Village, Slow Burn, Symbolism, Time Skips
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-17
Updated: 2019-04-27
Packaged: 2019-05-24 15:24:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 33
Words: 98,396
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14957165
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AnimeNugget/pseuds/AnimeNugget
Summary: My name is Nina Ōtsutsuki. A thousand years ago I made a promise, one that I have never forgotten. Unfortunately, my friends seem to have some troublesome descendants, and their reincarnations are no better. [Madara x OC]





	1. The Overseer

Her hair stood out in the forest, long, pure white strands glowing against earthly greens and browns. Nina walked silently, weaving her way through the trees, admiring the scene. A hundred years in this forest and she never got tired of its beauty. She reached her small cabin and pushed open the creaky door. Her eyes landed on the Shakujō staff resting in a corner or the room and she gazed at the engraving on the handle that she had seen a million times.

_Overseer of the world, Ōtsutsuki Nina_

A parting gift from her old friend.

* * *

She came to a familiar field. On the ground, like clockwork, she began drawing a symbol, her clan's symbol. She then struck her shakujō staff into the ground at the center of the field and jumped on top of it, stabling herself and becoming very still.

The sun soon set and the moon was in view, shining in all its glory. She formed a chain of hand seals; hare, tiger, ox, bird, boar, hare. The Ōtsutsuki clan symbol she drew in the dirt began to glow a very faint purple. The moon slowly lost its white light until it turned a deep, blood red. A stream of pale red moonlight streamed straight towards the field Nina stood in.

This was chakra, delivered from her clan. She needed it to survive.

After the strange red light faded, she jumped off the staff and pulled it from the ground. Looking up at the moon, she offered a polite bow before turning and disappearing into the dense foliage of the forest.

The moon remained a striking red for the rest of the night.

* * *

One morning, as usual, Nina was up at dawn. She headed out, going to a nearby river to clean herself.

Twenty minutes later, she was out of the water and dressed. All in a second, ribbons of stream water behind her rose up, formed icicles, and launched at the trees across the river faster than the eye could see. Out from behind them jumped out half a dozen men, dressed in clothes that sported the Uchiha symbol. They surrounded her, hands on their swords, ready to strike at a moment's notice.

"Surrender now, Senju. We have captured one of your generals and resisting will result in his immediate death." Nina paused at this, they thought she was a Senju. Perhaps it was because she provoked them, but somehow, she highly doubted that. However, what she did know was that at least one Senju had been captured by the Uchiha and she did not doubt that the men were telling the truth about that. Nina slowly raised her arms, surrendering. She would help the Senju escape. After all, she had made a promise.

* * *

Nina was thrown into a dark cell, what light was in there did not illuminate anything properly.

"You're not one of us, are you?" A soft voice came from her left. A few moments later, her eyes had adjusted enough it was see a man, around 25 years old, who had spoken. Behind him were seven other men, all dressed in Senju armor.

"I am not." Nina answered, examining the men: they seemed to have only minor injuries, nothing life threatening. "But the Uchiha seem to think I am." The young man let out a bitter laugh.

"Tough luck, huh?" They fell into silence, that is, until they heard someone yelling outside. Soon after that, two men opened the door to the cell and walked over to her, mumbling something about going to talk to their leader. She was brought into a building that seemed to be the office of a high ranking clan member. A man who had all the classic Uchiha features; raven hair that reached his shoulders, a blue, high collared shirt, and deep black eyes. The two men who brought her from the cell bowed to him and backed out. The man looked at her with an apologetic expression.

"I'm sorry, it seems that my men have made a mistake. They should have known that your clan does not have female soldiers. We are not uncultured, we do not attack or capture innocent people who are not involved in the war, even if they are from an enemy clan." He paused and seemed to remember something. "Excuse my manners, I am Uchiha Izuna. What's your name?"

No answer.

"Anyways, I apologize for the actions of my men. However, we cannot risk releasing you just yet, Hashirama is a man who cares about his clansmen, letting you go in the midst of a war may cause further issue for us. If peace is reached, he won't be willing to break it over a misunderstanding like this." Izuna explained.

"You are saying that I will be staying here until the war is over." It was not a question.

"I'm afraid so. However, the good news is that you will not be treated like a prisoner, you will get your own home to stay in. Of course, there will have to be somebody watching you, simply to make sure nothing goes wrong." His terms were reasonable, maybe staying here for a while would help her get the Senju prisoners out. "Kichiro! Tsubasa!" Two men came into the room, bowing respectfully to their leader. Izuna turned back to Nina, "These two men will be guarding you during your stay here." The taller of the two stepped forward.

"Please come with us."

The three stood outside a small but comfortable looking house.

"This will be your residence for the time being. Please make yourself at home. There should be minimal interference from Kichiro and I." The two nodded a goodbye to Nina before disappearing in a puff of smoke. Most likely off to spy on her.

* * *

Four days went by quietly. Nina had waited for the men watching her to lower their guard while at the same time pulling as much information as she could from the two about the condition and plans for the Senju prisoners. The men were inside the house doing paperwork while she stood outside, trying to find any chakra sources around the area that she may have to worry about. Initially, she only sensed one person approaching and they were nearing very rapidly, the person didn't seem to have an especially large chakra reserve, however. But not a minute later, she suddenly felt something else. Someone else. The chakra was so familiar that it sent a chill up her spine and brought a smile to her face, an expression she hadn't worn in a while.

_'About time.'_

Nina stood for only a moment longer before teleporting behind a tree. Moments later, a young woman no older than 20 years old ran by, clad in a guard's uniform, straight for the house.

"Tsu! Get Kichiro!" She panted, waving slightly upon seeing Tsubasa poke his head out from the main door. "Madara-sama is returning!" Tsubasa's eyes widened at the words and stiffened slightly.

"Already?" He did not waste a moment, "Who else knows?"

"Just the Council and the other guards on the outer layers, estimated six minutes until he reaches the front gate." The woman answered, sounding every bit as stressed as Tsusaba.

"Kichiro! Get out and alert the clan! Go tell the West side!" His hollering had drawn the said man out from the house.

"What about the Senju?" He asked, clearly not as panicked as either of his friends.

"This place was a prison before it was redecorated, remember? The barrier is still surrounding the house, now go!" Tsubasa commanded. He turned to the woman as Kichiro raced away. "Chiasa, go alert the North and East sides, I'll take the South wing." There was a mutual nod between the two before both disappeared.

Nina stepped out from her hiding spot. A barrier? She hadn't felt one when they entered. If there was a barrier preventing certain people from exiting, it must have been set by a very skilled individual. It won't be easy to break.

She jumped straight up, staying in the air for a few seconds before suddenly stopping herself, grabbing and landing on a nearby tree branch. Slowly, she reached up but jerked her hand back instantly when she felt a small amount of chakra torn from her.

A chakra absorbing barrier.

The white haired woman thought through all her knowledge and remembered one important phrase. 'Civilians are immune to chakra absorbing techniques, for they have no chakra.' Simple, yet it gave her an idea. Nina concentrated on the chakra in the veins on her hands and, painfully, forced it to retreat from the appendages. Quickly, and successfully, jamming the chakra deprived hands through the barrier, right at the center of the seal holding it in place. With a speed and precision that was both perfected over many years and encouraged by pain, Nina sent chakra into her hands, immediately feeling an immense burning from the energy being sucked away at an alarming pace, and performed the correct hand seals to undo the seal. The barrier instantly collapsed and feeling rushed back into the pair of sore hands. 'First time suppressing my own chakra flow.' She thought. 'All these years and I still get to experience new things...' She took no more time to continue on that idea, jumping straight in the direction that seemed to be the Uchiha main gate. She needed to see exactly who was the one emitting such a familiar chakra.

People below were streaming towards the gate as well. Mostly men, she observed. Perhaps there was some odd tradition for the head of every household to welcome important clan members when they returned. Or perhaps a precautionary action in case of an impostor or enemy. Whatever the reason, there was a large number of people standing in orderly lines in front of the main gate. Nina put a genjutsu on herself, replacing her features with those of an average Uchiha woman, one of the few in the crowd. She jumped into the crowd below and got into one of the lines.

She felt the incoming chakra get stronger, the person was nearing quickly. Then she saw him.

A tall man, long spiky black hair reaching halfway down his back, wearing a high collared purple shirt with the clan symbol on the back. He was more than likely in his early twenties and yet radiating authority. Everyone mechanically took a step outwards to form a large split straight down the center of the lines. The man shifted his gaze, skimming the ranks of people. His cold, solid gaze landed on her for a second longer than it should have. She saw his eyes widen for a fraction of a second before returning to the expressionless mask that seemed to be glued down.

_'Recognize me already, Hamura?'_

* * *

Nina returned to the place she was being kept and replaced the barrier and seal, remembering the pattern of the original seal. It seemed that getting in was not a problem, as she passed through without incident. Moments after her own arrival, the two men assigned to guard her entered the house, glancing briefly at her while she pretended to read a book that she had quickly pulled from the bookshelf a second before. Fortunately, it seems that they didn't suspect anything.

* * *

The next day, early in the morning, Nina woke up and undid the seal she had placed the day before. Quickly finding her way back to the cell she had been thrown in upon her arrival. She silently crept behind the guards by the door and knocked them out. She forced open the door, with some trouble, and found the eight Senju prisoners lying on the ground. One, the man who Nina believed to be the leader of the group, shot up and got into a defensive position.

"What do you want?" He demanded sharply.

"Come with me if you want to return to your clan. " She responded evenly, hoping they would be convinced she wasn't an enemy.

"Why would you help us?" He asked cautiously, ready to attack the instant he got a response he didn't like.

"I have a score to settle with the Uchihas and I don't want any of you around to get in the way." The lie came out smooth and unfaltering. The answer seemed to be good enough, as the man hesitated only slightly before hastily waking up his companions.

A minute later, all nine of them were out of the Uchiha Clan compound. They had all hidden their chakra and, very quietly, slipped past the guards.

They now stood in the outskirts of the forest, far away from the compound.

"Thank you, young lady." The leader of the group bowed his head slightly at Nina. She returned the action.

"I did what I needed to." She said. "You can handle yourselves from here on out, yes?"

"Yes, of course." He nodded. "I am General Senju Hiromichi. May I ask your name? I wish to send proper thanks once we are back at our clan headquarters."

"No need, like I said, I did what I wanted to, for my own benefit." She stated firmly, providing no room for argument. "I will leave you to your journey. Good luck." Nina said quietly before disappearing.

With the Senjus safe and her mission competed, Nina retreated into the woods, back to her home.

* * *

**A/N:**

**Hello readers! Thank you for taking the time to click on this story! For this fic, Hashirama will be the reincarnation of Hagoromo and Madara the reincarnation of Hamura. The same will apply to Naruto and Sasuke.**

**I hope you enjoy the journey!**


	2. The Memories

For the last century, approximately, this had been her home. Every once in a while, she would move to a new place, either to keep the scenery fresh or due to the fact that her residence would be discovered, usually ending with her being chased down but, luckily, never caught.

She often reminisced in the few memories of her life before she died. That was a painful thing when she, quite literally, had all the time in the world. Everyone she had known in her life before her current… situation were long dead, and sometimes she wondered if it would have been better if she had followed them.

_"Hagoromo-kun! Hamura-kun!" A young girl of no more than 7 years ran towards two boys of around the same age, her short white hair whipping from side to side. The boys turned around and waved to the girl who seemed to be radiating with excitement._

_"Nina-chan, what is it?" The slightly taller boy, Hagomoro asked._

_"I wanna see more! Can you show me the magic?" The girl pleaded, hands clasped in front of her, black irises gleaming._

_Hagomoro and Hamura glanced at each other and smiled. They molded chakra in their hands and, a moment later, snowflakes slowly began floating down, somehow staying frozen even under the glare of the blazing sun._

_"Yay! Snow in summer!" She giggled, reaching up in an attempt to catch a snowflake. "Thank you!" Tackling the boys, she threw an arm around each of them and hugged them with all the strength she could muster, and they hugged back, laughing along with her._

She always wished she had chakra like the twins.

_"Kaasan, this is Nina. She's friends with Hamura and I." Hagoromo introduced._

_The three children stood in front of a beautiful woman, white hair cascading down her back, touching the floor._

_The princess, Otsutsuki Kaguya._

_The ten year old girl, Nina, looked at the ground, slightly hiding behind Hamura. She was unthinkably nervous. Ever since she could remember, she had looked up to the princess. She had quickly denied when Hagoromo and Hamura had insisted that she meet their mother. Despite having now been friends with the two for four years, she knew that she'd be far too fidgety. However, being clever as they are, the two had managed to make sure they were late for dinner while Nina was in their company, and, just as they planned, their mother came looking for them._

_"Hello young lady." The princess smiled gently. "So you're friends with my sons?"_

_Nina nodded vigorously, not daring to look up at the princess._

_"Well, my sons never introduce me to their friends, you must be close." Kaguya concluded. "How would you like to come over for dinner? I'm sure Hagoromo and Hamura would enjoy the company." The woman offered, looking at her sons who nodded happily. "Then it's settled. I will send someone to inform your parents."_

_"Oh, um, you don't need to do that, Kaguya-hime. I don't have parents," Nina said, not a hint of sorrow present on her innocent features._

_The princess blinked in surprise._

_"They died before I was a year old." By then, she had said those words too many times to be fazed._

_"Is that so? You have my sympathy." The woman looked genuinely sorry, but quickly changed the topic. "Come, dinner is ready."_

That was among the happiest memories she could recollect.

If only it had lasted.

_The entire clan stood frozen, staring up at the monstrous creature towering overhead. Fires raged throughout the village, houses lie in rubble behind the creature._

_"Nina!" Came a familiar voice._

_"Hamura?" The young woman, just shy of her twenty-first birthday, spun around, coming face to face with her longtime friend. "Where's Hagomoro?"_

_"He's holding off our mother." Hamura said grimly, glancing at the monster. "I'll bring you to a safe place. Come with me." Nina nodded, taking his hand as he teleported the two to the edge of a forest, far enough away from the village to be out of range of the monster's, or rather, the princess', attacks. "Stay here. I'll come back for you afterwards." He said before dissapearing._

_It had been over an hour and there was no sign of Hamura or Hagoromo. Nina was getting worried; she couldn't see what was happening from here. After a moment of deliberation, she started towards the village, her concern getting the best of her._

_She was already exhausted by the time she got close enough to see the village. 'If only I had chakra like those two...' She thought as she paused to catch her breath. She saw the monster was still there, still battling with two small figures in front of it._

_Nina let out a sigh of relief. At least they were still alive._

_She continued towards the village, this time at a jog. She was already past the outskirts of the village when-_

_"Nina!"_

_The burning pain came ripping through her. Next thing she knew, she was thrown twenty meters away from where she last stood, now crumpled on the ground._

_She couldn't move at all._

_Right before she blacked out, she could have sworn she heard someone calling her name._

A crash from outside snapped her out of her daydream. She swore under her breath for allowing herself to carelessly zone out. Swiftly standing up and stepping outside, Nina felt a number of chakra sources not too far in the distance, they seemed to be the source of the noise as numerous more were now coming from the same direction. Jumping into the trees, she headed in towards the sounds.

Nina landed on a branch right above where the strangers were. Eight men, Uchihas, were surrounding one other, probably a Senju. Around them, a few trees had fallen, others were burned, had weapons stuck in them, or had noticeable dents all around.

On any other occasion, Nina would have stepped in and helped the Senju, but this time it seems that was not needed.

The Senju, even when being vastly outnumbered, seemed fearless. Suddenly, with a swift movement of his hand, the men all jumped back as large spikes shot came up from the ground where they had just stood. Spikes made of ice.

"Be careful, he's fast!" One of the Uchihas shouted. Weapons and jutsus were thrown by both sides for a long while, but the Uchihas began to show signs of exhaustion. They were slowing down, their movements becoming sloppy. Nina saw the Senju's eyes flash, a dragon made of water burst from the ground, launching straight towards the leader of the Uchihas. He wasn't quick enough to get out of the way.

A stream of white fire shot out from in front of him.

His teammates paused for a moment; Uchihas didn't use white fire. The flames collided with the dragon, steam spread quickly, engulfing the entire area in seconds.

The leader was confused, he had closed his eyes, waiting for the attack to hit. Next thing he knew, he was surrounded by mist and couldn't see more than a foot ahead of him. He instantly activated his Sharingan and saw his team: they seemed to be a distance away. He ran after them, hesitating only for a second when he heard weapons clash behind him. Before he knew it, he was out of the mist and on a tree branch. He saw his team a short ways ahead, already headed back to the compound, and chased after them.

He wondered momentarily about who was fighting back there.

* * *

Nina returned to her home, slightly annoyed that it took so long to get away from the Senju. He was certainly skilled and very fast, even managing to cut her on the side of the neck. It had bled slightly but had formed into a light scar by now. She was able to lose him after a solid 30 second of being chased. She had a thousand years of experience running away to thank for her speed.

At least she hadn't been seen by the man.

Probably.

* * *

A month flashed by, Nina continued to drop in on as many Senju and Uchiha battles as she could, helping the losing side as subtly as possible, only physically stepping in when absolutely necessary. She would send a water bomb to extinguish a fireball or a bolt of lightning to counter a speeding boulder. The task wasn't easy; hiding her face from the very people she was trying to protect. Not to mention the fear of accidentally injuring either side always tugged at her mind. What was most concerning at the moment was the rumor she's heard floating around about a 'phantom shinobi' interfering with the war between the clans.

It is said the person has the ability to control a great number of elements, moving with the speed of light, and has a chakra that is so heavy that anyone within his view feels as if they're being suffocated.

Thankfully, somewhere along the line, someone had stretched the story so much that it must have been thought of as just another rumor, made up to instill fear. Even so, Nina was worried that people would really believe it. If someone in power happened to do such, she may be in a dangerous position.

Being discovered would not be an option, neither would sitting back and letting the clans slaughter each other. Honestly, she wasn't sure what she would do if she was found out to be the 'phantom,' so she pushed it to the back of her mind for now and focused of the task in front of her: helping a group of Senjus escape from a much larger group of Uchihas.

One of the Senju men seemed to be speaking to an Uchiha whom she remembered was named Madara. All the while, they swung various weapons and justus at each other.

Certainly odd behavior, Nina thought.

A kunai was headed straight towards the Uchiha who was too busy engaging with the Senju to notice, that is, until he heard the sound of cracking wood. Looking down quickly, he saw a twig, split into two, lying next to a kunai that seemed to have been scratched by the small branch. Odd, yes, but he didn't have time to think about it, swinging his gunbai up to block a blow from his opponent's sword.

Nina silently offered help to both sides when they needed it, while also making sure no one got too injured. She had just made an Uchiha lose his footing as he was about to deliver a fatal blow to his enemy, when, at that moment, she froze; she realized that she hadn't seen something. Something very important.

Not a hundred paces in front of her was Hamura's reincarnation, Madara, and the Senju from before, charging at each other with such powerful jutsus that they would undoubtedly create a blast strong enough to kill the men around them, if not themselves as well.

Nina didn't think that she had ever teleported so hastily before. Perhaps she got the speed from the thought that she needed to protect the man that held her friend's chakra, or perhaps from the sense of duty to protect the two clans and their members. Either way, she had managed to step between the two powerful attacks and immediately formed a barrier.

She felt the barrier crack upon contact from the two forces and added more chakra to it, reducing the cracks and reinforcing the shield. She kept channeling chakra until she felt a large break on one side. In a moment of panic, she became distracted and the forces on both sides shattered the barrier.

Now she was scared. Not for any of the members of the warring clans, but for herself. The men was powerful, that much was clear, and, if it came down to it, she would not be able to make herself fight back against the very clan she vowed to protect. Nina was scared. An emotion she did not feel often.

Despite having been alive for so long, she knew she was simply surviving on the chakra her clan sent her. She knew she was as mortal as anyone else.

Her heart stopped when she felt a hand grasp her wrist. She closed her eyes and waited for the incoming blow.

"Careful!" A voice next to her shouted as she felt herself being tugged to the side. Her eyes shot open just in time to see Madara's sword slam into the ground where she had stood a moment ago.

She flinched at the thought of the man who held her friend's chakra, the man who was one of her best friends in his past life, showing such hostility towards her. A dull pain struck her heart.

After regaining her composure, Nina looked at the person next to her, the one who saved her. He was tall with long brown hair, and, from his aura of confidence and authority, was evidently a high positioning Senju officer.

"Why are you protecting her, Hashirama? Our dance was interrupted by... this." Madara spat, contempt dripping from every word.

"She has nothing to do with our fight, we don't hurt innocent people." The one named Hashirama frowned.

"If she really had nothing to do with the war, then why would she interfere?"

Hashirama paused at this, but he did not take back his word, nor did he question her.

"Our fight is going to have to be postponed, Madara. Until next time." Then he, along with all the Senju soldiers, jumped back and disappeared from view, Nina along with them.


	3. The Interrogation

"Please, just tell me who you are." Hashirama said, eyes gleaming with anticipation. When he received no answer, as had been the case for the past hour, he sighed. "Look, the barrier you created back there was very powerful. I haven't seen anything like it in a while, it would have drained an enormous amount of chakra that most shinobi don't have. This tells me two things. One, you are considerably powerful. Two, you have a strong reason to want to stop the bloodshed between us and the Uchihas. All I want to know is what that reason is." Still, he received only silence from the woman in front of him. Hashirama sighed again; he was usually quite good with words.

Defeated, he stood up and left the room.

A minute later, a woman with fiery red hair and an air of nobility stepped into the room. Nina understood their strategy. They were hoping another woman could get answers out of her. She had been interrogated many times before and was, unfortunately, very familiar with nearly every tactic there was. She was thankful that torture didn't seem to be one of the Senju's.

"My name is Uzumaki Mito, I've been asked to get some information from you."

The redhead seemed smart, Nina observed.

"What can I call you?"

No response.

"Why did you interfere in the battle between Hashirama and Madara?"

No response.

"Do you have something to gain from stopping the war?"

Again, no response.

The sun had set by the time Mito finally gave in. She closed her eyes, letting out a breath.

"Well, it's getting late, I'm sure you're tired. We'll continue tomorrow." She stood up and glided out of the room, whispering something to another woman as she passed. The woman nodded and approached Nina.

"Please come with me." She said quietly. The two stepped out of the building, towards an unknown destination.

"Where are we going?" Nina questioned, speaking for the first time since she had arrived here.

"I will lead you to your temporary home." Came the brief response. As the two settled into a semi comfortable silence, Nina looked around, admiring the small village.

Beautiful architecture, people walking peacefully by, flowers blooming in the spring weather. Looking at such a nice picture, no one would assume that the clan was in the middle of a bloody war. The men, women, and children walking by all seemed happy, even the ones who were ninja. Everyone, that is, except a familiar albino, spiky haired individual that passed them, not ten feet away.

He locked eyes with Nina for a long moment. Seeming to recognize her, his eyes narrowing as he scanned her image. His piercing gaze followed her, a gaze filled with a coldness that anyone could feel from a mile away.

'The one that managed to cut my neck...' Nina mused as she remembered the battle they had no more than a month ago.

The tension only lasted for a few seconds before they both turned away and continued on their separate ways.

* * *

Arriving at a small house at the outskirts of the village, the woman stopped.

"Here is where you are to stay. My name is Ia, I will be nearby. If you need anything, just ask." And with that, she turned and started back in the direction they came from.

* * *

The next day, the sun had just peaked over the horizon as Nina sat up from the bed. She was still here and, unfortunately, there had been news spread about her arrival among the Senjus, along with that, there was rumor that she was the one who had been intervening in the war between the Uchihas and themselves. She knew that escaping now would only serve to cause further rumors of her motives, as if there weren't enough of those drifting around.

There was a movement outside the room, Nina glanced out and saw Ia sitting by a table near the window. Upon seeing her, the Senju woman gave a blank smile.

"You're up. Please come with me. Hashirama-san has called for you."

The walk to Hashirama's office was a quiet one, a comfortable quiet.

The two women entered the tall building. She was led to an office, different than the one from yesterday. Ia knocked on the door and they soon heard a 'come in'. Ia opened the door and gestured for her to enter. Nina had sensed two chakra sources inside the room, which would not have been of any concern if she hadn't known who the second source belonged to.

Hashirama smiled at the sight of her.

"Ah, you're here. I'd like to introduce you to my brother, Tobirama."

The tension hung heavily in the air for a few seconds. Hashirama stared at the woman, then at his brother. It was clear that this was not their first meeting; the glares almost turned the atmosphere around them black.

He cleared his throat.

"Well, I have business to attend to. Try what you can, good luck." He mumbled the last part to the white haired man next to him and left the room, leaving Tobirama and Nina alone.

The tension did not lessen.

Five minutes.

Ten minutes.

Twenty minutes.

An hour passed. There was still only silence, on both their parts. Tobirama seemed to be relying on his cold expression to try and make her uncomfortable enough to speak. And it probably would have worked on any other person.

Finally, it was Tobirama who spoke first.

"You interrupt my battle with the Uchihas, then my brother's battle with the same clan. Clearly, you are protecting them. What did they offer you?" His voice held a sharp edge.

"I do not work with them." Nina had to make this point clear to the man who looked like he was getting ready to kill someone.

"Then you work for them."

"No."

"Then how are you related to their clan?"

"..." She could not, would not, answer that.

Tobirama closed his eyes for a moment, taking a breath. If his brother had not specifically told him that he could not use any 'regular' interrogation techniques on this 'special' prisoner, he would have gotten the answers he needed long ago. He needed those answers, not only because his brother had asked him to, but also because he was personally curious as to who this mysterious person was.

First, there was the odd report from one of his men; a tale of how he and his division were captured by the Uchihas, but had been saved by a strange woman who had refused to give her name. He passed this off as a genjutsu they had suffered.

Next, he had personally witnessed a woman, who somehow seemed slightly... off, interrupt his battle with a group of Uchihas, letting them escape by a thread. This troubled him, but was taken as just a coincidence.

But then more and more reports from his soldiers came in about a stranger interfering in battles between them and groups of Uchiha men. Reports of the abilities used by the mystery person varied, along with accounts of their appearance. There was one constant, however: the chakra that the person possessed was very strange.

With these reports, this rumor could no longer be written off as just a rumor.

And now, he had the stranger in front of him, right in his grasp, and yet she would offer no information on who she, or what her purpose, was. It was quite agitating, even to a hardened solider like himself.

Reopening his eyes, he looked straight at the woman, something about her still seemed off. What it was, specifically, he could not pinpoint.

"You are not an Uchiha. What clan do you belong to?" He knew if he got the answer to that, he would be one step closer to learning her identity and motive.

Of course, no answer.

The interrogation stretched the length of the day. The sun had set by the time Tobirama had been interrupted by Ia.

"I have been asked to return our guest to her temporary residence." The woman told him. He sighed quietly.

"Very well. We will continue tomorrow." Standing up, he walked past Ia and out of the room.

After he had left, she motioned for Nina to follow her.

Once they were out of the building, Ia turned to her.

"How did you do it?" She asked, sounding both amused and curious.

"What do you mean?" Nina blinked, tired and not too interested in talking.

"You survived Tobirama's interrogation and you're not... broken..." She struggled to find the right words. Receiving a shrug from the other woman, Ia smiled bitterly. "You must have seen a lot during these times. The wars have taken much from many clans and many more people."

"You have lost someone close to you?" It was more of a statement.

The Senju nodded slowly.

"My fiancé. By an Uchiha, of course." The bitterness was evident, yet there was no hatred in her tone.

"That is the nature of war." Nina sympathized. "As terrible as it is."

Ia blinked away the tears threatening to spill.

"Yeah..." She thought for a second. "Have you, by chance, lost someone close to you to the war?"

Nina almost laughed.

"I have not." She responded. It was counterproductive to make friends when you were hiding yourself from the world.

"You're very fortunate, remember to appreciate your loved ones."

Yet there are none.

"Being here must be difficult. You certainly should be with family in times like these."

Yet I have none.

"Seeing the situation, I'm sure you'll be free to go soon." Ia reassured.

"Hopefully." Nina nodded. By now, they had made it to her assigned home.

"Have a good night." And they parted ways.

Once inside, she slumped in an armchair. Ignoring all those questions took a good amount of will and patience. She thought back to Hashirama. It was clearer now why he and Madara had such a rivalry. How coincidental it is to have the legendary Ōtsutsuki twins reincarnate into the leaders of two clans that hated each other so much. They had quite a few things in common with their old selves as well.

Madara was unwilling to open up, even cold, to her, much like Hamura when she had first met him. She was just about five years old...

_A young girl awkwardly shifted from her left leg to her right, white hair blending in with the snow fluttering from the sky. A few feet away stood a boy, not much older than herself, staring blankly at her._

_"Sorry to bother you... but... I think your brother forgot this..." She held out a white robe in her pale hands. Purple tomoe were spaced evenly along the front collar. Seeing the garment, the boy blinked and reached out, carefully taking the robe from her. He stared down at it for a moment, then back up at the girl._

_"Thank you." Came the short response. The girl's eyes brightened at this._

_"No need! I just wanted Hagoromo-san to get his robe back." The boy frowned at this._

_"Don't talk like you know us."_

_Surprised, the girl hesitated for a second before lowering her gaze to the snow dusted ground._

_"I...I'm sorry... I didn't mean to offend you." She stood quietly for a moment before bowing quickly and running back in the direction she came from._

_The boy stared at her retreating figure._

_"Hamura, who was that?" Came a voice from behind him._

_"I don't know, Hagoromo."_

And on the other end, Hashirama seemed very much like the older brother.

_"Are you ok?"_

_A girl, around six years old, rubbed her shoulder, looking up at the person she ran into with a sheepish smile._

_"I'm fine, don't worry about it." She paused, staring at him curiously. "Sorry to ask, but are you Hagoromo-san?" She tilted her head, examining the boy. She hadn't seen either one of the royal twins for a while, so she wasn't too sure what they looked like now. However, this boy seemed too similar to the older of the twins, whom she had glimpsed many times before, to be a coincidence._

_"Yes. Why do you ask?" The boy, Hagoromo, already seemed easier to get along with than his brother whom she had encountered just a year ago._

_"Oh, nothing... I just... um... your powers are really cool!" She blurted out._

_The boy seemed to chuckle._

_"Oh, my chakra? Thank you." He looked at the girl in front of him. "What's your name?"_

_"I'm Nina, I've always wanted powers like you and your family! I think it's really cool and pretty!"_

_"That's nice. I think so too."_

_"What's your favorite thing about them?"_

_"Hard to say."_

_"Is it hard to control them?"_

_"At times."_

_And this went on for a long while, the two children seated on the grass, talking about anything and everything. The two, starting out as mere strangers, had quickly become friends._

Her eyes softened at the memories. It was both amusing and painful to remember what she was like as a child.

Before the attack.

Before the revival.

Before the chakra.

'Those were happier times, huh?'

Days, weeks, months blurred together as they often seemed to. Each one was the same monotonous cycle; get up at dawn, be escorted to the interrogation room, ignore questions from whoever happened to be questioning her that day, return to the house at sunset. The only part that Nina enjoyed was the short walks to and from the house. Not only did she get to enjoy the beautiful village, but she could also talk with Ia about whatever they found to be interesting.

She was sure they looked similar in age, but even despite that, their experiences was inevitability entirely different.

Ia would talk about her family, how she met her fiancé, her chakra control lessons with her father and mother, and how she dreamed of a world without war. Nina had opened up slightly as well, describing her childhood village, telling of her only two friends when she was younger, and how she had seen many things, more than she could care to explain. Ia had inquired about the last point on multiple occasions, but she had always let it remain vague.

Now, Nina was in another interrogation session, this time with Tobirama. Many of the same questions were repeated, over and over. What's her surname? What business does she have in the war between the Senju and Uchiha? What's her chakra nature?

She sighed audibly. She began to believe that she would never be able to get out of here, a frightening thought in her situation. For one, she needed to receive the chakra that her clan would be sending very soon, something she could only do from one specific field not far from her home. Nina was thinking of ways she could get out before the time came. Among the plans she was considering was one that involved sneaking out and leaving a clone in her place. As far as she knew, no one ever came to guard or check on her at night. Yes, that seemed like the most viable option, she would be back before dawn so there shouldn't be a problem.

Nina decided to go with that plan, now she only had to wait patiently for six more days.

* * *

Time swept by her, it was now the day that she would need to go and retrieve the chakra that sustained her. That day seemed to be moving at a snail's pace. Nina was walking back from the routine interrogation, Ia with her as always, seeming more excited than usual.

"Hey, the blood moon is happening tonight, are you planning to watch?" The Senju asked, turning to the woman whom she had come to befriend.

Nina glanced at her, slightly confused.

"Blood... moon?" She repeated slowly. Ia smiled.

"You've never heard of it? Maybe it's just a Senju thing." She went on to explain the event in fine detail; how it happens just around twice every three years, how the moon glows a vibrant red during that night, but has an especially bloody color for around an hour near midnight. The admiration was evident in her voice. "Our astronomers track the moon's position and can determine when the next big event is. The blood moon is one of the most interesting cycles we get to see." She seemed genuinely amazed as she was describing it, but Nina was deep in thought.

Twice every three years… red moonlight… lasts for the night… especially red for an hour... sounded a lot like a description of her chakra reception jutsu. If it was indeed what she thought it was, it would prove to be most amusing. A ritual that was a necessity in keeping her alive had become a spectacle for these people, perhaps many others as well.

The best part?

They didn't even know she existed.


	4. The Tale

Night soon fell and the village was silent. Nina, cloaked in a long black cape and hood, silently crept out of the small house and slipped into the woods behind it.

Racing through the trees at a speed that to most could only be seen as a light rustling of leaves to most, she headed in the direction of her house, her actual house. Her shakujō was still there and she needed it to carry out the Receiving Justu. Not long after, she felt a slight shaking from the last branch she had landed on, one not caused by herself.

Unfortunately, she had expected this and only hoped that it wouldn't happen. She was being tailed, and by the looks of it, the person was very talented. She couldn't detect a single trace of chakra anywhere. The shaking that she felt was probably caused by a slight misstep, and she only detected it out of sheer luck in timing. Not stopping for a moment, Nina pushed off of the next tree branch, continuing towards her house.

About a hundred steps away from her front door, she came to a halt, back turned to her pursuer. She heard a quiet, almost unnoticeable sound when the person had stopped on a branch a couple trees behind her.

"Make yourself known." Her voice pierced through the silent forest. No answer. She decided to try to work this out peacefully, after all, she was not here to fight. "Tell me your business here, you will not be harmed."

There was a moment of silence.

Then a chuckle.

"That's what I've been saying for months." A familiar brunette landed silently on the ground. "I'll answer you if you answer me." Hashirama said, offering a crooked smile that did nothing to help pry an answer from the woman.

The atmosphere was not dark.

It was not awkward.

It was not tense.

It was just silent.

The two stood motionless, illuminated by the pale white moonlight flowing through the trees.

Not friends, not strangers, not enemies.

It was Nina who broke the silence.

"Why are you following me?" She got a quick, lighthearted reply.

"Why are you out?"

"What do you want?"

"To know who you are."

"You won't be getting any answers."

"Then you're not getting rid of me."

Again, silence.

Nina turned away and continued towards her home. For all the traits this man had in common with Hagoromo, persistance was certainly an obvious one.

He matched her pace, keeping the distance between them.

They soon came upon a small cabin under a large tree. Hashirama stopped as he saw the woman in front of him step into the house. He trusted that she would be emerging soon, and that she did. Only a moment after she entered the cabin, she stepped out with something in her hand. A staff of some sort. He got a feeling that he should stay silent for now.

They continued their walk towards a destination unknown to him.

Finally, after dozens of twists and turns, he saw her halt on the edge of an open field.

"Don't come any closer." Came the command. "For your own good." Hashirama obliged, getting the feeling that she knew more about him than she let on.

The woman stepped into the field, drawing a pattern on the ground with the efficiency that only came with repeating it a hundred times. He watched as she jammed the end shaped like an open circle into the ground, jumping to land on top of the other end. The end she stood on was a loop with six rings hanging from it; three on either side. The entire staff seemed to be made of a material that was a shade darker than black.

They must have stood there for well over an hour before anything happened. She formed a chain of hand seals; hare, tiger, ox, bird, boar, hare, and, as if by her command, moon began to glow a pale orange, as did the symbol that had been drawn on the ground. The color began to get darker and darker. A stream of red moonlight drifted towards the ground.

Hashirama could feel it. The same odd chakra that the woman carried was streaming down towards them. It seemed to be getting absorbed into either her or the staff. It was only then that it hit him. This was the blood moon.

This was what was causing it.

She was what was causing it.

By the time the chakra stream had stopped, Hashirama was left with far more questions than he had come with. When the woman had stepped off the staff, a gust of wind blew away any marks she had made on the ground, leaving the area as unremarkable as it was before.

The woman walked towards him, stopping a few feet away.

"There are a few things you should know." She began.

For the next few hours, the two sat on the edge of the field. Nina told him her story.

Of who she was, of why she was here. She told him about her death almost a thousand years ago and about her revival soon after, not specifying whom she was revived by. She told him about her role as a guardian for the world, to protect the decedents of the Ōtsutsuki as best as possible while keeping herself as unknown as possible.

Even having listened to all this, Hashirama wanted to know more.

So she told him about her clan, about their architecture, about their festivals.

She told him about the princess, about the chakra tree, and about the rampage.

Next came the part about the princes.

She told of the sealing, of the creation of the tailed beasts, and of how the first person to receive chakra was a close friend of the legendary sages.

When Hashirama, intrigued by the idea of being the first person to receive chakra, asked to hear more about this person, all Nina could say was that she knew the person. They were young when they reveived the chakra were and even rumored to be as powerful as the two sages. She told him how no one knows much of what happened to the person, they disappeared just before the clan relocated.

The Senju's curiosity seemed to be unending. He would have asked many more hours' worth of questions had he not been inturrupted by Nina.

"It's about time we get back. The sun will rise soon." She said, eyes fixed on the horizon. They stood up, dusted themselves off, and began heading back to the village after dropping off Nina's shakujō at her home.

The sun's light had not yet reached the sky when the two stepped foot in the village. They were just about to part ways, when Nina felt a hand on her shoulder. She felt his hesitation.

"Why did you choose to tell me all that?" The question was simple, seemingly obvious. But she had to think about it for a minute.

"I'm not sure." Her eyes softened. "Perhaps you reminded me of someone I knew." The image of the younger version of her and Hagoromo flashed in her mind. They were sitting in a field, talking and laughing as if they had known each other their entire lives. "Or perhaps your interrogations were just getting tiresome." Hashirama smiled at that.

"Of course. Anyways, thank you for sharing your story. It was very interesting." And they parted ways.

As Hashirama walked back to his office the image of that strange woman, telling him of her past, eyes glazed with nostalgia, a softer expression on her face than he had thought possible, refused to leave his mind.

* * *

The next day did not start like it usually did. Ia had come to escort Nina a number of hours later than expected. They did not speak on the way to the interrogation.

When they arrived, Nina found out that the interrogation for the day was, in fact, not an interrogation at all.

"Thank you Ia, you are dismissed."

The said woman nodded at Hashirama and backed out of the room. He turned to Nina.

"I have a preposition for you." He began as she took the seat in front of his desk. "You want to keep peace between my clan and the Uchihas right? I want you to help me convince their leader, Uchiha Madara, to enter a peace treaty with us. My intention is to establish a village, one that will be a home for any clan willing to join. A mass alliance of sorts." He looked at her in anticipation.

The expression on her face gave no hint as to how insane she thought it was.

"War is part of human nature. It has been going on since my time. Putting so many clans in one permanent alliance will bring you trouble in the future." She stated bluntly. Hashirama's face fell.

"Do you think it's that bad of an idea?" He trailed off, thinking about it for a moment before snapping his head back up. "But you can help me! You seem to know more about what good, functional villages are than I do. I've only known my village, you must've seem dozens more!" Nina shook her head lightly.

"All the villages I've seen have been comprised of one clan, many of those have even failed. There have been none that follow your idea of alliance." She saw the discouraged look in his face, his eyes dulled along with it. She sighed. "But perhaps you can make it work." His face instantly lit up upon hearing this.

"Does that mean you'll help me?" He asked, clearly excited.

"If that's what it takes to bring peace." Nina nodded.

Hashirama suddenly stood, hands pressed against his desk, a determined look on his face.

"I swear you won't regret it." He beamed.

She looked up at him.

So excited, so driven.

'Hagoromo, I can't help but see you in him...'

* * *

The next few days consisted of meetings with Hashirama, Mito, and Tobirama, the latter of whom was extremely unhappy upon hearing of the plan to start a village with the Uchihas, especially with the help of a stranger from a different clan. Of course, he soon begrudgingly agreed to it.

"There should be an order to how the clan compounds are placed. The friendlier ones put closer to us, the more untrustworthy ones put near the outskirts." Tobirama stated.

"The placement of compounds should be up to the individual clans so they don't see us as dictators." Mito commented, though slightly distracted.

"We can let them decide, but only after we know which clans I've spoken to are actually willing to join. Some precautions will have to be considered, of course." Hashiirama settled.

The four continued to bounce ideas around until the sun set and they retired for the day. As Nina was outside the building waiting for Ia, who seemed to be late today, she heard a voice behind her.

"Who, exactly, are you?"

"Mito." She greeted. "I'm afraid I can't tell you."

"Neither would Hashirama. He said he trusts you, though. Why?"

"I can't say."

"Well, I can say that I'm not as suspicious of you as Tobirama is, however I must ask one you question."

"Please do."

There was a pause.

"Hashirama mentioned that you're particularly knowledgeable on the topic of the tailed beasts. There is not much information on them that I know of. I want to know where you learned of them."

"Ah, I'm afraid that's also part of what I cannot reveal." Nina gazed at the golden horizon.

_A young woman stood in awe._

_"They amazing, Hagoromo!" She looked up at the enormous creatures. A metallic turtle, a sand colored tanuki, a bright orange fox, and six others stunning creatures. "These are the tailed beasts you created?" She asked the young man next to her._

_"Yes. They were split from the ten tails. They are still small but will grow quickly. I need to ask you to watch over them for a time. As you can see, I am not able to do so myself." Hagoromo said lowly, referring to his currently weakened state. "Your chakra is more than enough to control them and they do not seem to be hostile towards you."_

_"Of course I'll help." She beamed._

_"Thank you, Nina. I leave them in your hands for now." He turned and retreated, presumably to get some much needed rest._

_"Who are you?" She heard a voice ask. She looked up at the creature: blue with black makings. It seemed to be communicating through telepathy._

_"My name is Ōtsutsuki Nina. I will be taking care of you guys for a little bit." She smiled politely._

_"That man created us. You seem to know him well." The metallic turtle observed._

_"Yes, we've been friends for many years." She heard the hesitation from the nine creatures. It was the fox who spoke._

_"Your chakras are very similar... how is that so?" At this, Nina laughed lightly and proceeded to explain all the events that have happened, starting all the way from when the princess ate the chakra fruit. The nine beasts huddled around her, eagerly listening to the tale. They were especially interested in the part where they were separated from the ten tails._

_"The ten tails was the result of princess Kaguya's fusion with the Shinju, the Divine Tree. It was a hideous creature, really. Enormous and more powerful than anything I've ever seen." She grimaced at the thought of the monster. "But Hagoromo and his brother, Hamura, managed to defeat and seal it. I know it was hard for them, to seal away their own mother..." Trailing off, her gaze fell to the ground. Just then the loud sound of a bell ringing pierced the air. Seeing how the beasts flinched, Nina was quick to reassure them. "It's just the Evening Bell. It always rings a little before midnight to tell anyone that's still out to quickly get back home. Don't mind it." She smiled gently._

_For the rest of the night, Nina told the nine beasts of all kinds of stories. From the ones about the village history to stories of her times with the twins. She told of how she had died during the attack of the ten tails but was revived by her two friends. She told them about how she was the first person they had given chakra to so hers might develop to be almost as powerful as theirs._

_Of course, the beasts bombarded her with unending questions about every possible topic. Asking for more detail about their own existence, more stories about her life, more information about Hagoromo._

_It was a few hours after midnight and Nina was leaning against the paw of the fox, peacefully asleep. All nine of the beasts were looking at her curiously. A long silence hung in the air._

_"I like her." One of the beasts whispered, as to not wake the woman. Eight mumbles of 'me too' were exchanged._

"Hey!" Nina was snapped out of her daydream by someone calling out. They both turned to see Ia running towards them. "Sorry I'm late." She panted. Straightening herself up, she smiled at the two. "Anyways, let's go." She said to Nina, bowing her head slightly at Mito, leaving the latter with questions swirling in her head.

* * *

Day after day, the meetings began to form into an overall blueprint for the village and how it would be run. The four would often receive response letters from the clans Hashirama had approached. Many had agreed, many more had declined, yet he did not seem discouraged. Today, their goal was to convince Madara to bring the Uchihas into the mass alliance. The two brothers were the ones to go and confront him. When they had left, Mito turned to Nina.

"I must ask you a favor. Please go after them. I'm afraid Hashirama won't be able to convince him. Madara is a hard headed man, if a conflict were to break out, Tobirama would not hold back but he isn't as powerful as Madara. Hashirama may be able to defeat him, but he doesn't have the will to do so." The redhead held a worried expression.

"I was planning to do exactly that. I know they were childhood friends." Nina told her. "I'll make sure no one gets hurt too badly." Then quickly headed in the brothers' direction, tracking their chakra trail while hiding her own.

Not long into her chase, she felt the Madara's chakra approaching. Reaching the point above where the trio stood, she concealed herself in the leaves, watching their interaction. Being too high up to hear their words, she observed their actions and body language closely. Tobirama seemed to be the most prepared to attack while the other two were in a heated argument, presumably about the proposed village. She saw sparks fly as the two suddenly had their swords in a deadlock. A full battle soon erupted, but Nina was calm, she trusted that they would not be going all out.

The conflict burned for a long while, both sides were worn out, but Madara, having taken the defensive most of the time, was evidently more tired than the Senjus. Soon, Hashirama had overwhelmed his opponent, a sword pointed at the Uchiha's chest. Hesitation was clear on his face, he was fighting an internal battle. Slowly, he retracted and sheathed his sword. She heard the words he spoke next.

"Why do we fight? Why can't we have peace?"

She heard Madara's response as well.

"Peace? Peace requires great sacrifice. Prove to me you are willing to sacrifice for it." His voice was strong, unwavering. "Kill your brother."

Silence.

Hashirama slowly spoke.

"I won't. He's the only brother I have left, I cannot lose him too." Hashirama then looked up, towards the sky. "However, I am willing to kill myself."

Tobirama stiffened and interjected.

"Hashirama." He warned. But the said man only shook his head.

"If it will bring peace to our clans, I am completely willing to make the sacrifice." He took out a kunai, not even giving it a glance. Madara seemed to have no reaction. It was at that moment that they felt a flare of chakra. The kunai shattered and next thing they knew, a fuming Ōtsutsuki was standing in front of them, rage radiating off her in waves, her glare was one that could have made the Sage of Six Paths himself flinch.

The Senju brothers were frozen for a second. Madara, on the other hand, sported a smirk.

"About time you showed yourself, woman." He said, only to be ignored.

"Perhaps you forgot about your wife back in the village, waiting for you. And your sons. And hundreds of villagers, waiting for their leader." She continued to let her anger seethe into the sharp words. "Did you think your village would thank you for killing yourself? It would have only caused more hatred. Did you even consider the consequences before racing into action?" Tobirama opened his mouth to speak, only to quickly close it upon receiving her glare. With those words and a furious sneer, Nina disappeared, leaving behind a long period of silence.

Finally, Madara cleared his throat, breaking the quiet.

"I agree to your proposal. I will help the village."


	5. The Negotiation

Arriving back in the Senju compound, Nina brushed past an anxious Mito, offering only a brief 'they're fine' before disappearing from sight.

Not long after, Hashirama and Tobirama also returned, only to be greeted by the frowning redhead.

"What did you two do? Why is she so upset?" Her arms were crossed firmly. Hashirama sweat dropped.

"Dear, shouldn't you be more worried about me?" He gestured to his battered appearance, only to receive a slap on the arm.

"Of course I'm worried, don't I have the right to be worried about her too?" Mito glared, daring him to object..

"Of course! I wasn't questioning that!" He waved his hands in front of him. "We should leave her alone for a while, I'll talk to her tomorrow." Hashirama was dreading it already. If she was anything like Mito, he could only imagine the hell he would have to endure to earn her forgiveness.

* * *

The next day came quickly, and with it came another meeting. The four were in the same room as always, the white haired woman showing no signs of her anger from yesterday.

"When are we meeting with Madara?" Questioned Tobirama, still not entirely confident in the idea of an alliance with the Uchiha.

"We'll meet with him and his top commanders tomorrow. It'll have to be just us four, that was one of his conditions." Hashirama stated.

"I'm afraid you've made a mistake." Nina interjected. "He must have requested the three of you. I am not a Senju, I have no place in such a meeting." Hashirama shook his head, smiling brightly.

"Actually, he specifically stated that you should be here. 'The angry one,' he called you." He said, receiving a smirk from Tobirama. Nina seemed unsure but nodded regardless.

Their group meeting was dismissed very early that day, but as soon as the others had left, Nina was pulled aside by a fidgety Senju leader.

"Hey, sorry about upsetting you yesterday... I didn't- "

"Don't." She cut him off. "You meant well. I understand." He seemed to let out a breath. Thank goodness he wouldn't have to beg for forgiveness.

"That's good to hear. Anyways," His tone shifted from nervous to teasing, as did his expression. "I've known Madara for years, ever since we were children. I've never seen him take interest in anyone before." He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.

Nina's expression was less than amused.

"Let's just put it this way; I'd rather be courted by a tailed beast than him." She was completely blunt, causing Hashirama to laugh.

"So harsh... Anyways, thank you for helping, I know you didn't have to." He offered an sincere smile.

"My pleasure."

As the day came to a close, Nina lay in bed, eyes open, deep in thought.

'Madara, huh? It'd be nice to get along with him, wouldn't it Hamura?' She thought sadly.

* * *

Before anyone knew it, the sun was shining brightly through the windows. The group met in front of the building they'd previously agreed on as the starting point.

"Are we ready?" Mito asked, glancing at each person.

"Of course, let's go." They all nodded and sped off in the direction of the Uchiha Clan compound.

The leaves brushed against their heels as they cut through the large forest.

"We're here." They stopped, gazing down at a large, busy village. A few guards by the gate spotted them and nodded in recognition. Landing in front of them, Hashirama returned the gesture, the other three following suit.

"Welcome, Senjus. Please follow me." A woman said. She looked familiar... ah, right, she was the guard who had spoken to the two men assigned to watch her when she was captive here a few months ago. Chia, was it?

She led the small group to a large, beautiful house. The exterior was of polished wood, flaming red roof tiles, and had the Uchiha symbol stamped all along its walls. The inside was even more impressive; the furniture was elegant and well cared for, the walls were of white and blue hues. Everything was very elaborate.

"Please take your time to prepare yourselves. The meeting with Madara-sama will begin in three hours." The woman then excused herself and left the room.

"Alright, Tobirama."

The said man handed two of the square, cloth wrapped packages that he had begrudgingly carried along the way to Nina and Mito.

"What is this?" Nina questioned, glancing oddly at the object.

"A kimono." Tobirama stated flatly. "You thought you were going to be wearing that to a peace conference?" He scoffed, not sparing her a glance. "Honestly, brother, I don't know why she's here."

"Don't be rude, Tobirama." Hashirama chided. "I'm sorry about him. Please go get ready." An apologetic smile was etched on his face. The two women turned and entered one of the two attached rooms.

Upon opening the package, Nina paused. The pale pink kimono was more than luxurious, she knew that just by glancing at it.

"Mito. Is this what I am supposed to wear?" She asked, her tone unreadable.

The redhead turned, glancing at the contents of the box.

"Yes. Do you not like it?"

"No, its very nice." She lifted it from its container, setting it to the side. She removed the casual kimono she was wearing, it was slightly dirtied from the trip here. With some trouble, she put on the correct layers of underrobes, then the pink kimono. Finishing most of the process herself, she asked Mito to tie her obi for her. From what she knew, obis to kimonos like this one were nearly impossible to do without help.

"Thank you." She said to the woman.

"I'm surprised you got the kimono on correctly." Mito joked.

"As am I." She agreed. The Ōtsutsuki didn't focus on appearance as much as power. Nina again glanced at the smooth silk of the dress. "Surely there's some better area to spend money in."

Mito laughed at her comment.

"That's what I've been telling Hashirama for years." Mito smiled, "How do I look? Are there any wrinkles on the skirt?" She asked. The kimono she wore was a deep green, white cranes along the back and sleeves.

"You look fine." Nina dismissed the woman's concerns. "You don't need to impress Hashirama, you're already married." She commented.

Mito's face flushed red.

"Hey!" Hearing her embarrassment, Nina smiled. The redhead huffed. "Anyways, you look nice too." She complimented.

"Why is it so bright?" She touched the silky garment, questioning its pale pink and white colors.

"Young girls should be wearing bright things. You'll look more your age wearing light colors than you would wearing dark ones." Mito explained, amused by the girl's expression.

"Young, huh?" Nina mumbled. 'So Hashirama didn't tell her.'

"Of course you're young. Older women like me wear darker colors so we don't get all the attention." Mito teased. "You have to catch a man's eye, make an impression."

Nina gave her a questioning glace.

"We're going to a peace conference."

"You never know where you could meet your special someone." She winked. "Oh, let me help you with your hair." She said, seeing the woman's hair still untouched.

With expert hands, she rolled sections of the pure white strands into a high bun, sticking a few pins and combs here and there to hold it up. A few stray locks fell to frame her face. She glanced at herself in the mirror, turning her head from side to side.

"You work fast." Having hair down to her hips, Nina didn't often put it up, too much of a hassle, but she saw that it looked quite nice. "Thank you."

"No problem. It's about time we see how those two are doing. You don't want to know how many kimonos Hashirama has ruined while trying to get himself ready." Mito sighed. "Tobirama is barely better."

"Sounds interesting. I'll have to hear about it later." Nina said, amused.

The two stood and stepped out of the room, into the main area.

"You managed to get this one on correctly?" The redhead examined her husband and brother in law, whose faces showed different levels of offense.

"Of course!" Hashirama said, crossing his arms indignantly. He took a closer look at the two. "You both look great! I think it's about time-" A knock at the door. They all turned their heads as Tobirama opened it, revealing the same woman from before.

"I see you are all prepared, please follow me." She said evenly.

The four were lead to a massive building that was certainly the council headquarters or something of equal importance. Inside, they were brought down a long hallway and in front of a large double door. The Uchiha knocked on the door, receiving a 'come in' moments later. Pushing it open, she motioned for them to enter.

The ornate room was stunning, to say the least. Walls lined in gold plated strips, adorned with the clan colors along with a single Uchiha fan symbol printed on the wall opposite to them. In the center of the room lie a large, low-set table. On the left of it was four empty cushion chairs, while on the right was four occupied ones. Nina recognized two of the Uchihas. The four men on the right side were all wearing silk kimonos, just as carefully designed as the ones the Senju side wore.

"Please sit, Senju-san." One of the Uchihas whom she did not recognize spoke, his voice was guarded and cold. Hashirama sat in the center chair, across from Madara. Tobirama sat in the one positioned slightly to the left and behind his brother's, facing the one Nina recognized as Izuna. Mito sat on the other side of her husband, facing the man who had spoken. Nina sat in the last open chair, next to Tobirama. She faced the man who was the oldest of the four by far. She felt the dark eyes of the Uchiha leader bore into her.

"The meeting will now commence."

The hours crept by, filled with explaining ideas, disagreements, compromises, and burning tension. The only people who really speaking were the Senju brothers, Madara, and the man who had first spoken: the Uchiha head advisor.

Hashirama was adamant about making his idea work while Tobirama had to regulate his brother words to ensure their clan was not at a disadvantage in the agreement. Madara listened and would often counter one of Hashirama's ideas, suggesting his own. The advisor was clearly very suspicious of the whole thing.

As women, Nina and Mito were expected to only speak when spoken to, and the man who was introduced as the Head Elder along with Izuna seemed to have little interest in the planning.

After what felt like an eternity later, an agreement was finally reached and the conference ended.

* * *

"Ridiculous." Tobirama spat when they reached the house they had occupied before. "How could you agree to let them lead the police force?"

"You know that was one of their only major requests." Hashirama tried calming his brother down. The two continued to bicker until a knocking quieted them. Mito, being closest to the door, opened it, nodded respectfully at the Head Elder behind it.

"May I help you?" She asked.

"Lord Madara requests a word with the young lady." His voice was that of a kind grandfather.

Nina, upon hearing the surprising words, stepped next to Mito.

"Me?" She questioned doubtfully.

Seeing the man nod, Nina glanced at Hashirama who waved for her to go, so she did.

"Please follow me." He turned and started towards an unknown direction, Nina close behind.

"May I ask why he wants to speak to me?" She asked, careful to not sound rude.

The man shook his head.

"Best not to question him..." A silence fell between them. It was soon broken by the old man.

"You look very much like a Senju, though we have been informed that you are not. Are you the younger Senju's betrothed?"

For some reason, Nina felt more offended than she probably should have.

"No." The reply was quick. "Tobirama and I have no such relation."

This caused the man to laugh.

"Of course, I only suggested it as Madara was inquiring on it. Although I was wondering the same, you seem only a few years younger than the boy."

The two soon reached a large, surprisingly average looking Japanese-style building, presumably Madara's office complex. Nina was led through a maze of winding halls, finally stopping near the end of a corridor. The man knocked twice, opening the door when he heard a voice telling them to enter.

"Lord-Madara, I have brought her. Please excuse me." He stepped out of the room, leaving a very on guard Nina to speak with the infamous Uchiha. The atmosphere was heavy.

"What's your name?" Came the first question. He was clearly just as guarded as she was.

Nina considered her options. There was always the choice to lie, to say any name that wasn't hers, but that didn't seem like the best move, not when the alliance of the Uchiha and Senju clans was still fresh and fragile. Truth was the only option then.

"...Nina." Her own name sounded odd to her. Maybe it was because she hadn't said it in so long.

"Nina. Why are you helping Hashirama?" His tone was both suspicious and accusatory. "You know well that this village he dreams of is a delusion."

She didn't hesitate in her response.

"He asked for my help. I agreed because the village he wants has potential to be a tremendous success." It wasn't a lie, and if it was an attempt at peace, she would have helped even if she didn't believe it would work.

Madara didn't seem satisfied.

"Is that so?" His eyes narrowed. "Why would he ask you of all people?" Nina wasn't fazed in the slightest.

"He believed I could help."

"And what do you have that would help?"

"The will to obtain peace."

"Why do you have fantasies of peace?"

"I could ask you the same." She countered his glare. "You wouldn't have agreed if you didn't believe that there is a better solution than war. Your clan suffers as much loss as his."

"Don't speak as if you know me." He spat.

It was only then that Nina hesitated.

She saw a young Hamura, standing in the snow, clutching the robe that had been returned by the young girl standing in front of him.

_"Don't talk as if you know us."_

She almost smiled.

"Of course," Nina said. "I don't."


	6. The Village

Nina was lead back to the Senjus by the same elder whose name she learned was Hideaki. Upon entering, she was immediately met by Hashirama who immediately inspected her for anything missing limbs.

"Good, you're not injured." He sighed dramatically.

"I'm not." She assured.

"What did Madara want?" Mito asked.

"To know about my past." Nina answered simply, receiving a scoff from Tobirama.

"Something he and I have in common." He stared at both her and Hashirama.

The older Senju sweat dropped, he knew that Nina would tell them in time. Even knowing so, he truly wished he could pass such an intriguing story to his brother and wife. He tried to overcome the silence that had now befallen the group, clearing this throat.

"Well, it's pretty late, we should all get some rest. Tomorrow, we will be meeting with the Uchiha elders and council." Everyone collectively sighed. "I hear they're still split on whether or not they should be involved in the village formation." He finished.

The four wished each other a good night's rest and scattered to their respective rooms.

* * *

Nina leaned against the window frame, glassy eyes staring at the pale moon. Not that she would admit it, or had anyone to admit to, but she had long wished to rejoin her clan. Yet she knew she could not. Not now. Not ever. The celestial body seemed to stare her down, mocking her loneliness.

* * *

Bright rays of light greeted the Senju group as they stepped out of the house, clad in new, brilliant kimonos. In the lead was the same Uchiha guard from yesterday.

Settling themselves in the same arrangement as the day before, they faced at least two dozen Uchiha elders and council members, each displaying different level of distrust.

"Senju-san," One man spoke to Hashirama. "Do you truthfully want to be involved in such a whimsical plan? You must realize that your idea is a bit of a stretch on the cooperation of so many clans."

"Some that have been at war for centuries." Another man added.

"Of course. I trust that the hatred of many clans can be diffused with the right method." Hashirama answered confidently.

"And what part do you see the Uchiha Clan playing?" A man questioned.

Tobirama spoke before his brother could.

"Your clan will play a role equally important as our own. Rest assured we will have joint power in the village."

All three others on the Senju side were surprised at the answer. Perhaps Tobirama was finally beginning to support the plan. Hope for success began to surface, bit by bit.

However, one question soon came up, one that Nina knew was inevitable.

"I understand that this woman is not a Senju, yes?" A man asked, his gaze piercing through Nina. "What clan are you from?"

She remained silent. How was she going to answer this in a way that wouldn't put everything she's worked for in danger? Hesitantly, she opened her mouth to answer, but Hashirama beat her to it.

"If it is not of great concern to the alliance, we would prefer to set aside such irrelevant information." He stated calmly.

The Uchihas visibly grew suspicious at this.

"Oh? Would we disapprove of her clan?" An elder asked.

"Is her clan an enemy to the Uchiha?" Another questioned.

"Enough." The man who spoke was the head elder whom they had spoken to the day before, Hideaki. "If it does not bring us any conflict than the Senjus do not need to tell us of her clan. They have placed great trust in us, we can repay that by trusting their good judgement." He glanced at Nina, who nodded gratefully. Many of other men frowned, but let it drop nonetheless.

"Very well. On to more serious matters." The rest of the meeting consisted of negotiations and adjustments to Hashirama's plan for the village.

The sun was halfway down the horizon when the four walked out of the building, tired and irritated.

"Bastards..." Mumbled Tobirama. "They have quite the nerve." His three companions sighed in agreement. The council didn't drive an easy bargain.

"I see the conference has concluded." Came a deep, stern voice. They turned to see none other than the infamous Uchiha leader with his younger brother trailing behind.

"It has." Hashirama strained for a smile. "Your council and elders are quite the negotiators." He commented, receiving a glare from the dark haired Uchiha.

"I take it that no agreement was met?"

Hashirama quickly shook his head, waving his arms in front of him.

"No, no. Actually they agreed to support the village." A bright smile shone across his face this time.

Madara's expression did not show reveal any thoughts he might have had about what he had just heard.

"In that case, I recommend we begin the construction on the village as soon as possible."

* * *

It was the ideal place. A huge stretch of land in the center of an enormous forest, a river even ran nearby. The area that would soon become the perfect village was so expansive that one could not see the other end of it from the ground.

The trees in the building site had been removed and relocated earlier. What must have been hundreds, if not thousands, of people stood in front of the clearing. They were split into two distinctive groups; one was a mass of dark blue and purple hues, the other a splattering of many tones and colors. In front of them them stood six figures.

Thump.

The first stone block was dropped on the ground by some Senju shinobi. Then the next. And the next. Soon, dozens of large stones were being dropped in the clearing every minute. By now, the groups had already dispersed and distributed themselves in the mass area of land. Some were slicing the stones into perfect rectangular blocks, the others were stacking them to form the bases of buildings. The builders set the foundations of the buildings according to the instructions they received, as only a select few were shown the actual blueprint. The buildings grew at a steady pace, some were meant to be houses, others to be large, important buildings. Wood was also being moved into the area, being used as supports and framework.

This continued on for months, each day ending with more completed buildings than it had started with. Soon, the village center was competed, consisting of an academy building, meeting halls, parks, a stadium, and most importantly, the Hokage Tower. Clan complexes were deliberately placed throughout the village, having been determined at the discretion of the clans themselves. The Uchiha compound was located near the edge of the village, while the Senju's was the closest to the center.

"Excuse me, where were these supposed to go?" A young Senju sheepishly asked the woman he recognized as the one who worked with his leaders. He had forgotten which building the roof tiles he carried were supposed to go to. Nina glanced at the batch of large, bright red tiles.

"The Hokage Tower." She answered, motioning to the said tower where identical tiles were already being set.

"Thank you!" The man called as he ran towards the tower, crates of the clay tiles clinking behind him.

The Senju clansmen had little problem with Nina, she was introduced and accepted as an equal to their leaders. The Uchihas, however, have been regarding her as if she were a no more than a maid. Most of the men from that clan seemed to have issues with taking orders from a woman, especially when they had not seen any indication that she was deserving respect.

Madara was the worst of all.

"Woman, why has Hashirama left early?" He demanded.

Nina continued to look down at the papers in her hand, not taking notice of him.

"Woman." He was clearly not taking get well to being ignored

"Nina." She corrected.

The Uchiha glared at her.

"Where has Hashirama gone to?" He repeated the question, his tone sharper than before.

"I don't know." She said simply.

She heard him breath in slowly, trying to maintain his composure.

"Senju women have no respect..." He muttered, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"I'm not a Senju." Nina reminded him, receiving a scoff.

"You have the same attitude as that brat." That was his name for Tobirama. "No wonder you two are together."

Nina threw her pencil at him, still not looking up. He caught with ease, smirking triumphantly upon seeing that he had struck a nerve.

"We're not involved." The number of times he and his clan members had brought that up was uncountable now.

"Who's not involved?" Came a new voice.

Nina looked to her right. A familiar Senju stood next to where she sat.

'Speak of the devil...'

"Tobirama." She greeted flatly.

"Nina. Madara." He shot a glare in the direction of the direction of the latter, who returned it returned almost immediately. The Senju looked away after a moment.

"Hashirama wants you to know the clan will be moving into the new compound tomorrow. He suggests you prepare your belongings as well." He stated, crossing his arms.

"Ah, right. Thank you for reminding me." The woman stood up, brushing off her yukata. "I'll do so now." She nodded at the two men, then took off in the direction of her house.

The dust shifted as Nina entered the house. She took in the scent of home; she hadn't been here for a while. Overseeing the village preparations and construction had kept her busy.

She paused for a moment: what should she bring? Or rather, what did she have to bring? Her shakujō, definitely. The few clothes she owned. The books from her clan that she had kept. Other than that, she really didn't have much, didn't need much. Quickly, Nina gathered her clothes and books into a small box. She put a hand on her staff, causing it to blur and then vanish. She couldn't have people seeing the it, it would cause far more questions than she cared to deal with.

* * *

"Thank you, Hashirama." Nina nodded gratefully at the Senju leader. He had just made arrangements for her to have her own home on the edge of the village, as she had requested. Though being close to the center would have certainly provided for easier access to the many meetings she would undoubtably have to attend, it far was too crowded and noisy for her. So naturally, she had asked for a bit of land on the outskirts of the developing village to live on.

"Not a problem." The Senju smiled. "I'll sendsomeone to tell you when it's ready, it won't be long." He assured her.

She nodded again, offering a small smile.

Later the next day, a stream of Senjus trickled into the village, bags packed and ready to settle into their new homes. They all made their way to the new compound, searching for the house number that they had been assigned.

Spotting an elderly woman carrying a heavy looking bag, Nina stepped up to her, carefully taking it from her hands.

"May I help?" She asked.

The woman looked up at her, surprised.

"Please." She let go of the bag, placing her hands behind her back. "If my old mind serves me correctly, you are the young lady working with Lord Hashirama and Lord Tobirama, correct?" She asked.

Nina nodded.

"May I ask who you are?" She questioned politely.

The old woman laughed.

"I forgot that we've never properly met. I am Senju Risu, one of the clan elders. I've heard many admirable things about you, young lady." She mused, looking straight ahead. "You've helped with this village a lot haven't you?" She smiled, her aged eyes shone of wisdom. "Many of us elders have dreamed of the day we would see peace. I must thank you for helping make that dream a reality."

Nina blinked, not having expected such a comment.

"It has been a pleasure." She responded slowly, unsure of what she should say.

"Ah, here it is. Sector 4, house 10." The two stopped in front of one of the houses. It was very similar to the others with only a few details distinguishing them, along with the number plastered onto the wooden stake outside the house. "I'll take that inside." Nina passed the bag back to the elder. "Thank you, young lady. I'll call you over for tea once the house is settled." She smiled warmly.

"No need for that." The younger woman politely declined. "Im glad I could help. I have to go now, I hope you enjoy your new home." She bowed slightly, turned and began in the direction of the meeting she had been heading to.

Nina entered one of the conference buildings, heading straight down the hall to the large room at the end of it.

"There you are. Come sit." Hashirama said upon seeing the Ōtsutsuki enter the room. She took her usual position next to Tobirama. There were the Senju brothers, Mito, Nina, and five Senju council members at the low-set table. There were still nine other open seats around the table. The door once again opened, nine Uchihas entered the room, taking their places. There was Madara, Izuna, and Hideaki, along with six others Nina did not recognize.

"I'm sure you know why we've called this meeting." An Uchiha council member said. "We must quickly decide which of our clan leaders will hold the title of Hokage. An early decision will ensure the other clans have more faith in the stability of this village."

Hashirama nodded at this.

"Of course. I recommend Madara be the Hokage." The Senju's words surprised everyone. "He is a strong, capable leader and would do well for the village." He grinned at his old friend.

"That is very generous of you, Hashirama-san, but we have agreed that you would be a better leader. We believe the other clans trust you more at the moment." Hideaki spoke, his voice dried with age.

The Uchiha council members nodded in reluctant agreement. As did the Senju council members, though with more pride.

"We agree." A man on the Senju side said.

"Then it is settled. The ceremony will be held once all the clans have settled in, one week from today."

* * *

The week passed by in a flash. All the clans who accepted Hashirama's offer had moved into their respective compounds in the village. Though the tension was evident, there was little significant conflict between the clans so far which, at this point, was an promising sign.

Today, all of the members of the clans gathered around the Hokage tower, thousands of people who should have been slaughtering each other stood shoulder to shoulder. Even though they separated themselves according to clan, it was quite a sight to see.

On the high balcony of the tower sat two dozen elders from the two core clans, the Senjus of the right, Uchihas on the left. Out towards the sides stood Tobirama, Mito, Madara, and Izuna, standing near their respective clan elders. In the center, directly in front of the elders, stood Hashirama, cloaked in a red and white robe and hat, both embroidered with the word 'fire'.

"Senju Hashirama," The booming voice quieted any chatter below. "Do you accept the honorable burden of the Hokage position? To protect this young village. To protect all people in it, present and future. To lead the clans to the best of your ability. "One Senju elder spoke.

"I accept." The said man answered steadily.

Cheers erupted from below, mainly from the Senju and their allies.

"Then from this day forward, Senju Hashirama shall be the known as the first Hokage, the leader of the Village Hidden in the Leaves! May your name go down in history!" The elders lowered their heads to the new Hokage, as did all other bystanders.

All but one.

The white haired figure observed the scene from afar, hidden under the shade of an old oak tree. She turned her head to the sky and closed her eyes.

'Senju Hashirama. May your reign be long and true...'


	7. The Mission

"Hashirama!" Tobirama called to his brother in the next room. "The Yamanakas and the Inuzakas are having another dispute." He stated, pinching the bridge of his nose.

The older Senju poked his head into the room.

"What's it over this time?" His voice was tired but determined.

"The Inuzaka ninken are roaming around the Yamanaka compound." Tobirama looked up from his paperwork in time to see his brother sigh.

"I'm on it." Hashirama nodded and disappeared from the room.

Five months have passed since the Hokage was named. Some clans took more kindly to their new neighbors than others. No matter how big or small the problem was, Hashirama insisted that he personally resolve it. From the physical conflict between Hyuuga and Akimichi clans to the Hoki and Nara clan disagreement over flower arrangements, everything was handled by the Hokage himself. It was quite a sight to see; an esteemed leader running around his village, frantically trying to keep the peace. Of course, Tobirama, Mito, and Nina along with the shinobi who worked with then have often offered to help, but he had denied every time, claiming it was his duty.

The academy was just beginning to enroll students. There were many children who were already enrolled, but the majority of adults in the village refused to let their kids attend a school where so many other clans would be as well. It was certainly going to be a problem if this kept up. For now, however, Tobirama was in charge of making sure that everything related to the academy was organized and ready to go. And they were. From the wooden desks to the large chalkboard, anything that could possibly be needed was prepared. The volunteer teachers were ready to spread knowledge on their subject. Years worth of curriculum had even been planned out.

There was one problem though...

* * *

"Nina! Come train with me!"

The said woman sighed upon hearing the enthusiastic voice.

"Izuna." She greeted.

The Uchiha beamed.

"I know you have nothing to do, I found an open training field." He latched onto her arm and began pulling her towards the training grounds on the west side of the village.

The white haired woman smiled gently at his persistent nature. She had grown fond of the young Uchiha over the past few months. He was easy to get along with and had a very laid back personality. They had long forgotten about their less than ideal first meeting. Nina looked back on the memory as an almost humorous incident.

_She was brought into a building that seemed to be the office of an important individual. A man who had all the classic Uchiha features; raven hair that reached his shoulders, a blue, high collared shirt, and deep black eyes. The two men who brought her from the cell, bowed to him and backed out. The man looked at her with an apologetic expression._

_"I'm sorry, it seems that my men have made a mistake…"_

An hour later and Izuna lie on his back, trying to catch his breath. Nina sat on a rock next to him, bruises and cuts could be seen all over, though to a lesser degree than those on the raven haired man.

"Your fire jutsus are great!" He complimented, smiling despite his injured state. She had only used fire type attacks during the spar, revealing more of her abilities would prove threatening to her efforts in hiding her identity.

"Yours are impressive as well." Nina commented. "You've improved."

"Thanks!" The Uchiha grinned.

Sometimes Nina couldn't help but see him as a child.

"Izuna." A stern voice came from behind them. The two didn't need to look to know who it was.

"Nii-san." Izuna greeted. "What's wrong?" He frowned upon seeing his brothers displeased expression.

"The elders want to speak to you." Madara answered, his speech was guarded.

"Oh, I better go then. Bye Nina." Flashing a smile at the still seated woman, he disappeared.

She was left with the Uchiha leader.

He hasn't warmed up to her yet.

"What is it, Madara?" Nina asked the glaring man.

"I don't know what your motive is, but stay away from my brother." He spat before turning and leaving in a swift movement.

The Ōtsutsuki leaned back, elbows propped against the rock. She sighed, looking up at the dimming sky. It wasn't that she was upset at what he had said, she had heard much worse, but she still couldn't help but wonder why he was so cold. Of course, losing so many loved ones most had taken a toll on him, she herself had been like that once upon a time, but with all the time she's had, she's long made peace with the world. Madara would not have the benefit of such time. She hoped he, too, would learn to accept and let go.

"I didn't think you'd be here of all places." Came a voice from behind her. A familiar redhead stepped beside her.

"Mito." Nina greeted.

"I saw Madara leaving. What happened?" She was worried for the young woman, she had grown to see her as a little sister. Though they weren't quite that close, Mito would often give her advice and they would talk for long periods of time if they had nothing to do. She heard a sigh.

"I expected he would be more trusting by now. The village can't function if he continues to be isolated." Nina watched the stars begin to show themselves.

"I know. Even his clan is more supportive than he is." Mito nodded. "Well, the village is still growing, maybe he'll open up soon enough." They both knew that was the best case scenario. "He's a stubborn man."

* * *

The sun shone brightly down on the already bustling village. Vendors stood by their carts of products, people preparing to go to their jobs, children getting ready to train with their parents or siblings.

Nina had been called in by Hashirama, saying it was important. Upon entering the Hokage Tower, she saw Madara was already speaking with the Senju.

"Ah, you're here. I need you and Madara to go check out some reports about a new village being formed in the land of Earth, they seem to be less than two hundred miles away from our boarders. These clans are notoriously hostile though, I doubt they have good intentions" There had been rumors floating around about less than agreeable clans forming mass alliances in neighboring lands. The theory was that they had heard about the formation of Konoha and it's success and decided to see if they could create an more powerful village. Tobirama, Hashirama, Nina, and Madara had already crushed some earlier formation efforts. They had gone in pairs, as Hashirama was worried about safety, but Nina had yet to be partnered with the stone cold Uchiha in front of her. "It would be best if you two leave at noon, how long do you think it will take?"

"The land of Earth is almost bordering us. Two days at most." Madara answered.

"Great, I'll be expecting you then. Good luck."

He bid them farewell and the two walked out of the tower, they headed home to pack, which happened to be in the same direction. The atmosphere was a little tense.

"Understand that I do not wish to be partnered with you." The comment was sour.

Nina blinked at his tone.

"I guess you're still stuck with me." She replied flatly.

He frowned, glaring at her from the corner of his eye.

"Stay out of my way." The demand held a tone of superiority.

The woman was unfazed, giving a small hum in response.

Not an hour later, with weapons packed, the two left the village when the sun was at its highest.

Speeding through the trees, there was no conversation between the pair, only the sound of leaves flying past.

By nightfall, after nine hours of continuous running, they had crossed the land of Earth's southeast boarder. The rising village was supposed to be directly west of their current position. They crossed a large, barren field with the occasional wilting plant. Then they came upon a sizable mountain. Next was a steep cliff with a rushing river at the bottom. Then another stretch of dead land. On the other side of that area was the side of a cliff. It was at this point that they decided to make camp, it must have been well past midnight by then. Madara sat down on his unrolled sleeping bag, silently volunteering to take first watch. Five feet away, Nina lay down on her sleeping bag that she had purchased especially for these types of missions. Her eyes were glued to the night sky. At first, Madara had thought she was looking at the stars, as he heard that was what many people do, but he soon realized the sky was cloudy that night. He briefly wondered what she as looking at, or maybe, looking for.

* * *

As the next day came, with it arrived the task of scaling the cliff. It was going to be tedious. With chakra infused soles, the two dashed up the vertical stone wall. It was the break of dawn and they had wasted no time in getting back to the mission. Ten minutes later, the two landed at the top of the cliff. The sight in front of them shook any remaining sleepiness from their eyes.

"What happened here?" Nina frowned as they landed at the bottom of the valley.

"I don't know. An enemy clan, most likely." Madara inspected one of the bloodied corpses, he was now moving with caution. The stench of blood would have been overwhelming had the two not been so accustomed to death.

"It looks more animalistic than what a shinobi would do." The shredded clothing and deep gashes on all the victims resembled that of a wolf or dog.

"Maybe a clan that uses ninken or canine summons." The faces of the people were contorted in agony, the limbs were twisted and pulled into unnatural angles.

"Someone certainly had a grudge against these clans..." The pair wandered around the young, now abandoned, village, searching houses for any clues as to who wiped out the hundreds of clansmen that were now rotting outside.

"Nothing. You?" Nina asked, stepping out of a house.

"Nothing." Madara agreed, glancing again at the piles of death.

Nina saw a flash of light from behind him, and in an instant, she jolted forwards and her kunai locked with the sword of a masked shinobi. She heard the sound of metal on metal behind her, also noticing Madara had moved. Blocking the knee coming at her stomach, she pulled another kunai and swiped up at lightning speed, managing to cut open her attacker's cloak and crack the mask. The person flipped backwards and landed a good distance away. They stared each other down, black eyes meeting painted ones. They leapt forward, dodging the kunai and shuriken flying at them, throwing and blocking powerful punches. Nina had caught her enemy's ankle when he attempted a kick, she flipped the man towards the ground with great force, it was then that she realized two chakra sources had appeared behind her.

Four chakra infused fists hit the air where the woman stood a moment ago. She had disappeared.

"Wher- !?" He was cut short by a kunai through his chest. Nina swiftly pulled the blood covered weapon out of the man's body, instantly turning and launching it at the shuriken that was flying towards her head. The two weapons collided and fell to the ground with a clang. The first masked man weaved a chain of hand signs, slamming his hands onto the ground. Three spears of earth tore themselves from the dirt and flew towards her, only to be consumed in a fireball. Somewhere during the battle, three more shinobi had appeared and were also launching earth jutsus at her. While twisting to dodge a mud bullet, Nina caught a glimpse of Madara. He, too, was engaged in battle with more of the masked shinobi, six of them. Turning back to her own enemies with a flaming, chakra enhanced palm, she caught the fist of one of the men. He let out a scream as the flames quickly spread to his clothes and skin.

The smell was not pleasant.

One by one, the masked men fell. Despite this, their numbers kept growing. So much so that Nina began to suspect that their entire clan was there, attacking the two Konoha shinobi. Had the two been any less skilled, they might have never returned to their village.

Hours and countless deaths later, Nina pulled a kunai out of the corpse's neck, wiping it on his shirt and putting it away. This was her last attacker. She stood, catching her breath. Around her lie a clan of fallen shinobi. Her entire body was covered in blood, so much so that even her hair was tinted red.

A distance away, Madara had a single man slumped in front of him, breathing heavy and sitting among his dead clansmen. Nina could hear their conversation through the otherwise silent air.

"Why did your clan attack this village?" The cold, deep voice of her partner demanded.

"One of the clans owed us." Just by looking at the mask, it was obvious he was smirking. "We have no regrets." Even in the face of death, he had no fear.

"Is that so? Then I'll allow you to join your regretless clan." The man's head hit the ground with a thud.

The rest of the day was spent burying the clansmen and villagers. The buildings were burnt as well. The two bloodied shinobi were silent as they worked. They only spoke to each other after they were done bathing in the river on the other side of the cliff.

Madara had finished first, Nina was still in the water a couple meters away. Her hair was taking a while. It was only when she was finished that she realized the change of clothes she brought had accidentally gotten bloodied and torn during the conflict. She thought for a moment, the only choice she had was to wash her yukata as best as possible. She kept herself in the water while washing the garment, working on a large blood stain when she heard a rustle of cloth. She looked up, seeing a dark purple pile of clothing on the grass in front of her and the retreating form of Madara. Moving closer to the purple mass, she saw it was a shirt. Smiling softly at the gesture, she quickly climbed out of the stream, putting on the shirt as well as her acceptably-blood-free pants. Wringing out her hair, she put it up in a bun to keep it out of the way, a skill she had learned from Mito.

She walked over to the camp they set up, finding the stoic Uchiha sitting on his sleeping bag. She sat on hers, and the usual silence settled between them. After a minute, Nina felt compelled to speak.

"Thanks." Was the simple word she chose.

"Izuna packs my clothing." He said dismissively.

She raised an eyebrow at this.

"He does?" She smirked. "That's adorable."

Madara glared at her teasing.

"Woman. Do not test me."

Her smirk only widened at this.

"Anyways, I'll take watch. Go ahead and sleep."

For the rest of the night, Nina stared up at the dark sky.

'Another cloudy night...'

* * *

After a few hours of rest, the two had fully replenished their chakra and were ready to get back to their village. Oddly, the trip back saw a few words exchanged between the shinobi.

"Who taught you your fire jutsus?" Madara asked as they crossed the boarder into the Land of Fire.

"I picked them up myself." Nina responded halfheartedly.

"Some of them are impressive." He commented.

She almost tripped at hearing this. He gave her a questioning look.

"Is that the first complement you've ever given?" She got a glare for her words.

"This woman..."

* * *

"Nina, your hair... it's... pink." Hashirama blinked. "And why are you wearing..." He gave her shirt a suspicious glance. Suddenly, his face brightened and his eyes sparkled, a wide smile spread across his face. "Don't tell me- ow!"

Mito smacked his head, looking disapprovingly at her husband.

"Stop thinking like that." She frowned. "Let them give their report."

"Fine, fine." Hashirama rubbed the back of his head. "How did the mission go?"

After relaying all the events of the mission, Hashirama had a puzzled look on his face.

"So the villagers were already dead, and the clan that killed them had attacked you two." They both nodded. "Did you manage to find out the name of the clan?"

"The ones I interrogated refused to speak, but they used powerful earth element jutsus and wore white and green masks." Madara recalled the masked face of the fearless shinobi, an inch from his death.

Hashirama nodded, deep in thought.

"I'll have someone look for any records on a clan in the Land of Earth that fits that description. You both did well, you can go now."

The two headed in the direction of their homes. The comfortable silence was broken by a cheerful voice.

"Nii-san! How was the-" Izuna stopped mid-sentence, staring at Nina's clothes. "Is that your shirt?" He asked his brother, tilting his head. "Did... did you two...?"

"Izuna." Madara warned. The younger Uchiha raised his hands in mock defeat. "Ok, ok. I was just joking." He smiled. "Did your spare clothing get ruined?" He inquired, turning to Nina. Receiving a nod, he chuckled quietly. "It's a good thing I packed him an extra set then!" Izuna gave a thumbs up, his smile beaming.

"I owe you one." She smiled, his enthusiasm was amusing. "Anyways, I'll be on my way."

* * *

"Tobirama." Nina greeted the younger Senju who stared intensely at his paperwork.

"There you are, I need your help with the academy opening." He looked up at her. "One of the professors was pulled out by his clan. I need someone to replace him. Hashirama told me you're pretty knowledgeable in history."

Nina held back a sigh, she was afraid something like this would happen. She knew she couldn't be a teacher even if she wanted to, it would expose her to too many people. People that would remember her. She had made sure to limit her interactions with people as much as possible; finding excuses to not be at public events, trying to not pass through heavily populated areas. Having helped with Konoha's founding had already let too many people know of her existence.

"I'm sorry, I won't be able to do that." She could tell he wasn't expecting that answer.

"And why is that?"

"I don't have the knowledge you think I do, and I'd prefer to not interact with children." The lie came easy. Though he evidently didn't fully believe her, he let the topic slip.

"Alright. That's all." He turned back to his paperwork and she slipped out of the room.

* * *

The house was small and scarcely decorated, a desk and bed were the only furniture items in the main room. Some clothes were folded neatly next to a small stack of old books. Her sleeping bag was tucked under the desk, her shakujō leaning against the far wall. Around the house was a small barrier. Mito insisted that it be there as the house was very close to the edge of a large forest that could more than likely contain some undesirable visitors. When Nina was not on a mission or in a meeting, she chose to stay here. She often read the large, ancient books from her clan that detailed their history, though she had practically memorized it all.

Admittedly, as peaceful as it was, her life was rather boring.

She pressed her palms to the wooden floor, a trail of her chakra flowed into the Earth. The ground recognized the energy and welcomed it. Along with her staff, the Earth was one of the main places where she stored portions of her chakra, making it accessible to her in the case of any life threatening situation.

In all the centuries she's seen, there had only been one instance where she drew from the energy reserves. That was three hundred years ago, during a six way battle between the Senju, Uchiha, and four other prominent clans.

The Uchiha leader at the time, Uchiha Otamu, and Senju leader at the time, Senju Masao, had destroyed the sacred shrine of one of the other clans during a different battle. That clan had pulled two of its allies into the dispute, resulting the sworn enemy of one if the allied clans also joining the conflict. Thousands died that day and Nina was almost among them.

_Weapons flew through the air, slicing those who were not careful. The six clans were all dispersed throughout the mile wide battleground, it was impossible to differ ally from enemy._

_With a strong genjutsu covering her, a figure weaved through the chaos, making her way to the center of the conflict. Six men were at the core of the bloodshed, relentlessly unleashing powerful jutsus at each other. What had started as a quarrel between two clans has become a full out war between six. One of the clan leaders had fallen, crushed by a boulder of ice. His clansmen only fought harder. The figure kept a close eye on two particular clan leaders, occasionally deflecting a weapon that would have caused major damage. No one paid any mind to her battles until she blocked the wing of a fiery dragon with one of her own. The dragon she created was of white fire, matching the other in height. A confusion overtook the five men for a moment, such power was rare, almost unseen in women. One of the men, Masao, was the first to snap out of his stupor, summoning an enormous, dark cloud that jolted lightning bolts at the mystery woman. The others had resumed their attacks on both the woman and each other as well._

_The wind roared, the ground shook, fires burned. No one was more than an inch from death at any time._

_The six shinobi were getting tired, all of them had used up significant amounts of chakra. It was the arm of an enormous susanoo that pinned the woman down in her moment of distraction. Without the ability to move her arms, she could not form any hand seals, and none of the other leaders seemed interested in helping. The flaming sword of the susanoo swung down at her defenseless form._

_It was less than ten feet away from her when six black orbs materialized and flew towards the sword, crackling with energy. They crashed into the sword's blade, instantlystopping it in its tracks. The two forces pushed against each other for a second before the susanoo, having loosened its grip on the woman, was knocked back by red blast of chakra. The orbs had disappeared. Uchiha Otamu, the man controlling the now disintegrated susanoo, was collapsed on the ground, eyes wide in disbelief. He muttered something only the woman heard before shouting for his clansmen to retreat, speeding off himself._

_All eyes were now on her._

_The woman froze, this wasn't supposed to happen. She was already shaken from the near death experience, and seeing fear in the eyes of the very people she was supposed to protect had pushed her into a panic. In a split second, rash decision, she turned and fled from the scene._

Nina had later found out the clans had dispersed after her escape, the battle ending. She wouldn't have had enough chakra to summon the orbs or the following attack if she hadn't quickly pulled it from the earth.

The incident faded into history and was forgotten by most. Never would she forget what she heard, however.

The Uchiha, stiff and petrified, had spoken the one word she would certainly never be able to let go of. It had caused Nina to question her faith in herself and her duty. She closed her eyes and let out a sigh.

_"Monster."_


	8. The Threat

"Why is it that I always get stuck with you?" Madara asked aloud as they raced through the trees.

Nina was tempted to roll her eyes.

"Ask Hashirama."

The Uchiha's complaining was getting old. Ever since their first mission together, Hashirama had been pairing the two up more often. This time it was warding off a hostile group of bandits on the other side of a large forest. If there was a bright side to this increased workload, it would be that Madara had started to open up to her. With each mission, they learned a little more about each other.

Nina had an idea as to why Hashirama was putting the two on so many missions together. Just thinking of it made her head hurt.

"Hokage." A file dropped on the said man's desk. "The report."

Hashirama looked up from his paperwork, offering a tired smile.

"Thanks, Nina." He seemed ready to fall asleep.

"Doesn't Tobirama do all your paperwork?" She asked, glancing at the tall piles of documents on either side of him.

The Senju slumped in his chair.

"He says I need to start doing it myself." He sighed dramatically.

"Well, I'll be on my way."

The Senju nearly jumped out of his chair.

"Wait!"

She turned back to face him.

"How was the mission?"

She stared blankly at him for a moment before answering.

"It's all in the report." She gestured to the file on his desk.

He paused.

"I mean..." He struggled to find words, then sighed. "Never mind."

Nina turned to face the door, she knew what he was trying to ask.

"Madara was cooperative." She could almost feel him smile as she walked out the door.

"It's wooorking!" He sang to himself.

* * *

The days passed steadily, everything went as it should. Madara, however, had not been seen by Nina or any of the Senjus for nearly a week. Not having had a mission with him for the past week, she was curious about what was happening with him. Upon asking Izuna, she only got the answer of 'I'm not sure.'

The sun was high in the sky when Nina was walking home from a meeting, which the Uchiha leader had been absent from. The road she was taking was a less traveled one, precisely what she wanted. It went behind a few less important buildings had quite a number of twists and turns. The sudden sight of a figure walking towards her caught her attention, she hadn't come across another person on this path before.

"Uchiha-san." She greeted, nodding respectfully at the familiar elder.

He smiled at her.

"Nina, yes? How have you been?"

"Good, thank you." A question popped into her mind, she spoke carefully. "If you don't mind me asking, how has Madara been doing?"

The man sighed.

"Ah, yes. Lord Madara hasn't been to any conferences lately, has he?" Hideaki looked troubled. "He has been very preoccupied with his training. I've heard he's been doing that often ever since a meeting with the other elders a week ago, I was not able to attend because of personal matters. I was on my way to go gather them and ask about what happened."

Nina was surprised, he's been avoiding contact with them because of a disagreement with the elders?

"That's unfortunate. I hope you find your answers." She dipped her head in a polite bow. "Take care."

"Same to you, young lady." He nodded and they continued on their separate ways.

Upon entering her house, Nina sighed. It was odd having gone a week without hearing Madara's complaints about being paired with her for a mission or seeing his signature glare. Shaking the thought from her head, she decided that a walk would clear her head. Changing into a comfortable yukata, Nina headed back out the door, making her way towards the forest bordering Konoha.

The trees were blends of bright yellows and fiery reds this time of year, the dull grass was nearly invisible under the coat of fallen leaves. Even with the leaves covering the ground, Nina's steps made no sound, as expected of a shinobi. She had no particular destination in mind, letting her feet guide her through the colors. The surroundings were not of interest to her as she had seen the cycle of seasons hundreds of times, though the fresh, cool air was anyways nice to have.

She came across a narrow river, its water flowing steadily. Bending down and staring at the reflection on the surface, she frowned slightly; there were no mirrors in her home nor had she come across many lately. The look in this woman's eyes surprised Nina, it was something she hadn't witnessed in anyone in a while.

The villagers were always busy with their lives, the clans looking for ways to improve themselves, Hashirama and Tobirama constantly stressing over everything. People just didn't seem to have this look in their eyes anymore. This woman, however, the one on the water's surface, staring straight at Nina, seemed to be an exception.

Contentment.

Perhaps it shouldn't have been so odd, but it was startling to see such an emotion in herself.

'Perhaps this isn't such a curse after all...'

Continuing her walk through the autumn air, she walked past many brilliant colors, listening to the sound of the forest.

After a while of spacing out, she found herself in front of a familiar field. A smile slipped out.

_"Why this one?" Nina inquired. The man next to her shrugged._

_"It's well hidden and a good distance from the edge of the forest." Hagoromo stated blankly. He had aged significantly since their clan had departed from the Earth, while the woman beside him looked the same as she did thirty some years ago._

_A silence settled between them as they gazed upon the beautiful field. Nina spoke up after a moment, her voice low._

_"Hagoromo. How long do you have?" Her words came out slowly. The man sighed._

_"Not long." He knew of her concerns. "Don't worry, you'll be fine." But this was of no comfort to her._

_"Eternity is a long time..." Her eyes never left the vibrant colors of the field._

_He let out a rare chuckle._

_"Yes, but I know you will do well." His eyes trailed up to the sky. "I'll be sure to reincarnate a few times and come find you." His voice was uncharacteristically lighthearted._

_She scoffed at this, closing her eyes._

_"Yea, sure."_

* * *

Not long after, Nina set back towards the village, taking the same scenic route. The towers of Konoha had just become visible over the horizon when she spotted someone on the cliff overlooking the village.

She reached the top of the stone ledge quickly, taking a seat next to the figure.

"How are you?" She asked, turning slightly to look at the ever-stoic face.

"Fine." The reply was less than genuine.

She knew it was best not to ask about what had happened with the elders.

"Will you be going on missions again?"

A smirk spread across his face.

"Miss me already?" Madara teased, receiving an indignant scoff.

"I could survive without your attitude." She turned her eyes to the lively village below.

He let out a low chuckle.

"Missions should already be waiting for me." He followed her gaze, staring down at the village and its residents.

The sun was halfway down the horizon, casting a pink and orange glow over the land. The whole village seemed to be shimmering in the light.

"Good to have you back."

* * *

"Anbu..." The word came slow. Nina then looked up at Tobirama, paper in hand. "What's that supposed to be?"

"A core group of the most skilled shinobi in the village to carry out the most difficult missions." The Senju answered, handing her a few more papers.

"To do the village's dirty work." She stated bluntly, skimming over the documents, describing in detail the requirements and tasks of an anbu member.

"In a sense." He nodded. "I need your help with founding this group." He had called her here early that morning.

She thought for a moment, this would be mildly troublesome, exposing her to more people on a one to one basis.

"Many qualified shinobi should be interested in this. Since you don't need my help in finding recruits, what do you need me for?" She questioned, hoping to find a way out of this situation.

"Yes, I expect there to be many applicants, so I'd like your help in evaluating each of them and keeping tabs on those who make it in." He eyed her carefully, seeing the contemplation on her face.

"Alright." She agreed. This shouldn't be too much of a hindrance, plus, denying to help again might raise some suspicion.

"A public announcement will be made today, we will test them at noon tomorrow." He stated, sitting down.

"Tomorrow? Isn't that a little short notice?" She saw his expression darken.

"It is, however we have some trouble in our hands that needs to be taken care of." Tobirama glared at nothing in particular, likely thinking of the best way to utilize the anbu forces to resolve the problem.

"And what might that be?" She asked, eyebrow raised.

He sighed audibly.

"There has been a direct threat delivered to the village." Nina's eyes sharpened upon hearing this. "Four days ago, an Uchiha guard was killed and mutilated while on night patrol. It was clearly done by someone outside of the village. It was passed off as a one-time tragedy until yesterday when two more men from the village were killed and their bodies mangled. One was a civilian." They both grimaced. "Along with the body of the most recent victim was a note." He pulled out a small, bloodied piece of paper from his desk, handing in to Nina. There was only one sentence on it:

_'The number will double every three days.'_

She paused, praying that it didn't mean what she thought it did.

"Four more people..." She mumbled slowly, receiving a nod from the Senju.

"That's what we expect. The anbu needs to be assembled before then. It'll be a strong force to counter whoever is behind this." He said, seemingly trying to convince himself of it.

"How is this person getting into the village?" Nina frowned, the boarders are not easy to get through without passing through the gate "And why did they not simply kill the guards on the outer security check?"

"That's what I've been considering. If they only wanted random targets, the guards on the outermost layer would have been the obvious choice. They're most likely targeting more influential clans and individuals."

"Why not just go for the Senju then?"

"Probably because they couldn't get to us. We're in the center of the village, making it more risky to reach our compound. What I'm concerned about is the note; should we be trusting that they will wait two more days before attacking?"

"Based on what you've told me, they could very well attack at any time. They also seem to have easy access to a majority of the village. I'd recommend we set up extra security throughout the village for the next few nights."

That day, dozens of Senju and Uchiha shinobi were told to guard certain areas of Konoha without being told why, Hashirama had decided to keep the situation from the village for now. Accusations would surely be thrown around if the clans were to find out.

The next day came, no deaths or suspicious activity was reported.

Despite this, tensions did not drop.

The sun blazed down onto the dozens of shinobi standing in the village's largest training field. Two white haired individuals stood facing them.

"All of you wish to join the anbu division, but few of you will. You will be put through a series of tests to determine which of you are the most qualified." Nina scanned the lines of people, determination was evident on every face. "First is to answer a simple question: how many people are hiding in these surrounding trees?"

Realization dawned on the recruits as they began to notice numerous sources of chakra coming from the ring of trees around the field, some were strong, others barely noticeable. Pens and papers suddenly appeared in each person's hands.

"The first sixty to answer correctly will move on."

And just like that, half of the applicants were eliminated.

The next test was to find and bring back one of the forty-five scrolls hidden around the village. These scrolls, which had been personally hidden by Nina, were concealed anywhere from the guard tower to a random civilian home.

In the end, only forty-one of the scrolls were found, so forty-one people passed.

After the two sensory type tests, the last one was inevitably going to be combat related.

"You will be fighting one of us."

And so the group was split right down the middle with Tobirama getting one more opponent than Nina.

"Five minute spars, we will choose the ones we believe to be most qualified. There are no limits to what abilities you may use."

The first battle began: a Senju shinobi against Nina. The man was holding back as he had come to respect her as a leader, though his reluctance was quickly destroyed by a fireball whizzing past his face.

Five minutes later and the next man stepped up.

Just under two hours had passed and Nina had gone against all twenty of her opponents. Everyone but Tobirama was shocked to see that there had been little change in her speed and accuracy the entire time. One by one, the rest of the shinobi battled Tobirama, and, to no one's surprise, he too showed little evidence of wear.

"Thank you for your eagerness to join the anbu division. By noon tomorrow, you will all know whether or not you have made it in. You may return home."

The next day, thirty-two shinobi were given the new anbu uniform along with a distinct tattoo. Exercises and spars had taken place afterwards, supervised by Nina as Tobirama had been preparing a plan for the expected attack that night. He had arrived just as the sun began to set. After mumbling something to Nina, he spoke to the anbu members.

"I've divided you into eight squads based on your skills. Tonight, you begin your first mission; guard your assigned area of the village and look out for suspicious activity. If there is anything or anyone out of place, you have orders to capture them and bring them to the Hokage Tower immediately. Understood?"

"Yes sir!" They replied in unison.

* * *

That night, the anbu had each been placed in a sector of the village, they stood on guard and silently patrolled the area, Nina and Tobirama were guarding their own sectors as well.

"Anything?" Tobirama asked upon meeting up with Nina at dawn.

"Nothing of note. You?"

"Nothing." The night had been uneventful, as they had received the same answer from the anbu members upon regrouping.

The two sat in Tobirama's office and were going over the records of each anbu member when a the door flew open.

"Commander!" A Senju boarder guard burst into the room, out of breath and panting. "The son of Elder Risu has been killed!"

They both tensed.

"When?" Tobirama asked sharply.

"We believe it happened last night, he was returning from a mission and was killed just outside our compound."

There was a long silence, Tobirama and Nina glanced at each other. They both knew what that meant.

"Go alert Hashirama, tell him to go to the east wing of the first conference hall." The guard nodded and left quickly. He turned to Nina. "I will inform the anbu squads about the situation, go tell Madara about this, he knows about the others."

And with that she was speeding towards the Uchiha compound.

A guard stepped in front of her immediately after she reached the gate.

"State y-"

"I need to speak with Madara, a message from the Hokage."

The guard seemed mildly insulted at her casual reference to his leader, but quickly went to alert him upon noting her urgency.

Moments later, the guard reemerged from a building, Madara following close behind. He had his usual blank expression on, though there was a bit of apprehension underneath. He waved the guards away so they could speak in private.

"There's been another one." Nina stated quietly.

"I thought the brat put together a group of people to guard the village last night." He frowned.

"Yes, and both of us were with them. Somehow the enemy slipped through. We'll fill you in later, come on." She sped off towards the conference hall, Madara on her heels.

"Good, we're all here." Hashirama stated, then turned to his brother. "Tell us what happened." The younger Senju held a grim expression.

"The same group who had killed three of our villagers has killed another last night. General Senju Hiromichi had returned from his mission when he was attacked right outside the Senju compound." He said.

"But the note by the last victim said four people would die, there was only one kill." Hashirama frowned.

"So far. I believe the perpetrators were not able to make another kill without being noticed."

"Then they should be back before another three days are up." Madara commented, seeming calmer than the rest.

"Security in and around the village will be increased and we will encourage villagers to report anything suspicious." Hashirama stated. "This situation will be kept between the four of us for the time being."

"If they can reach the Senju compound, you know what this means, right?" Madara said grimly.

A silence fell in the room.

"They have access to the Hokage Tower as well."


	9. The Invasion

All missions for the four had been reassigned to other people. Tobirama and Nina were completely focused on training the new anbu recruits while Hashirama had been investigating possible suspects behind the break-ins. Madara was occupied with reorganizing the Konoha police force.

Another three days had passed without any more deaths. Each night, the anbu and Uchiha policemen had patrolled their sectors of the village.

"We will continue to guard tonight." Tobirama informed the captains of each division.

"Yes sir!" They replied. Putting their masks on, they dispersed to tell the rest of their squads, leaving the two leaders in front of the Hokage Tower.

"We need to find a way to get more training in." Nina said to the taller man. The members had only been sleeping during daylight hours which had reduced their training time. She was concerned that less training would hinder their progress.

"It could become a problem if we don't." Tobirama agreed, arms crossed.

Suddenly, a loud voice called out.

"Nina!" A lively Izuna landed in front of them. "Nii-san wants you to know he'll be increasing the police presence tonight."

Nina nodded.

"Good, thank you." She offered a small smile.

The Uchiha's eyes flashed to the Senju next to her before leaning closer and whispering.

"What's this about? Why is the police force getting so involved?'" He asked curiously.

"I'm sorry, I can't tell you yet." She told him, receiving a chuckle.

"It's ok, I understand. Well, I have to go, take care!" He called, speeding away. He could feel the Senju's glare on his back the entire time.

"You know," Nina said as she turned to enter the tower, "He's not a bad person." The tensions between the younger Senju and the Uchihas had not diffused since the founding of the village so many months ago.

"Believe what you will." He said, frowning.

Nina sighed at his stubbornness, opening the door to Hashirama's office. She wasn't even halfway through the door when-

"I got it!" Hashirama exclaimed, slamming his hands on his desk.

"What?" Tobirama asked, stepping past Nina to see what his brother was going on about.

"Nina! Remember the mission you went on a month ago? The one with the mysterious masked clan?" He asked hurriedly, only pausing to see her nod. "Well I think I found the clan!"

"What does that have to do with the attacks?'" Tobirama interjected flatly, only to be shushed by his brother.

"I'm getting there. So the clan is called the Adachi clan and they are, or rather, were skilled earth users. Their leader was Hatano Kazan, the first son of Hatano Seiwa who was a prominent clan leader a while back." He pointed to a name in the book in front of him. "But around fifty years ago, Kazan was removed from the clan, something about being 'unfit to lead', and he disappeared for two years. Later on, however, he was discovered to have become the leader of a rouge group after changing his surname to his mother's maiden name, Adachi. Since he was a skilled earth user, he had passed his abilities on to his followers and soon they had grown to become a clan." He paused to take a breath. "So around twenty years ago, Kazan was killed, leaving his eldest son to the position of clan head. His son turned out to be quite the leader, expanding the clan even further through his own... means. His clan was the one you fought, but I don't think he was there. He was probably with a few other clan higher ups someplace else, meaning he's still out there."

The two were silent, trying to process the information Hashirama just threw at them.

"...so you believe the Adachi leader is behind the killings?" Nina asked.

"Yes, and the report you gave for the mission where you encountered the clan said the bodies looked like they had animal-like injuries, right? They could be the same ones that our victims have!" It was possible, Nina hadn't actually seen the bodies of any of the four recent killings, but the word 'mutilated' would describe the corpses from that mission quite well.

"He's an earth user, so tunneling underground could be why we haven't detected them." Tobirama thought aloud.

"And his chakra was mixed in with everyone else's." Nina added.

"Right, so we just have to focus our attention on chakra movements in the ground and it should be much easier to find him." Hashirama let out a breath, slumping back into his chair. Tobirama glanced at him, shaking his head.

"You look exhausted. Go rest." He told him.

"There's still work to be done. I know you two haven't been sleeping either, same goes for Madara." The Senju stated, leaning over the large history book. "I can manage."

"None of us are married or have children to think about." Nina stated, closing the book on his desk and picking it up. "Mito would be upset if she knew you weren't taking care of yourself."

His face visibly paled at the thought of a certain angry redhead.

"Ok, ok. I'll take a break." He said, quickly standing up.

"We'll tell Madara and the anbu members." She said, stepping out the door, Tobirama behind her.

"You're convincing." He commented when they reached the base of the Hokage Tower.

"They have an interesting relationship." She said, remembering all the times she had seen the mighty Hokage cowering in fear of his wife's rage.

"Is that not what all women do?" Tobirama asked mockingly, earning a glare for his question.

"You go inform the anbu, I'll tell Madara." She waved him off.

"Alright."

An hour later, Madara was caught up on the new developments and the four were in a small meeting, discussing what their next move would be.

"Since most of the guards are Uchihas, and therefore fire users, we must rely greatly on tactics and taijutsu when facing the Adachi clan." Tobirama stated. "I believe the various skills of the anbu shinobi will raise our chances at success."

"And to maximize the chance of finding the person, we need to evenly distribute our sensory ninja throughout the village. There has to be a good range of people with different chakra natures around each sensory as well, just in case the Adachi bring backup." Nina said. There were a number of skilled sensory shinobi among the anbu and the policemen, not to mention all four of them could also act as sensors.

"Alright, we'll redistribute the sectors and see where tonight leads."

* * *

The village was split into eleven large areas and assigned to specific people: one sensory type per area along with six to eight anbu and policemen.

The night was calm.

Then came the explosion.

"Get three of the others and go check it out." Nina commanded the shinobi closest to her. He nodded and swiftly went to find his comrades. The source of the explosion seemed to only be one sector away, on the edge of the village. She could see streaks of debris and smoke. The night was at its darkest now and the lack of vision could either become their greatest obstacle or most valuable asset. Almost immediately, Nina began hearing loud yelling and clashes of metal in the distance. Jumping on top of a tree, Nina saw bursts of fire coming from the direction of the explosion, the earth rumbled under her feet. Suddenly, an Uchiha shinobi landed next to her.

"Lord Madara and Hokage-sama have sent men to combat the enemy. They request for you and Tobirama-san to stay at your current posts." The man sped away once the message was delivered, presumably to inform the younger Senju.

'It should end soon enough.'

She landed back onto the ground, going to inform the three other guards in her sector about the situation.

One of the anbu came into view. She couldn't remember who it was as the person wore a mask.

"Wolf," She addressed the person by their anbu name, the animal on the mask. "Ignore the combat you hear in that direction." She pointed towards the sounds of battle. "Stay in the sector until further notice."

The person nodded.

"Understood, commander." The voice was feminine, she realized it was one of the two kunoichi who had been accepted into the anbu.

Nodding at her briefly, Nina turned and headed to find the remaining three.

After informing the last guard, Nina returned to patrolling.

The sounds of battle could still be heard.

'They must be trying to capture him alive.' Nina thought. They would certainly be able to get some valuable information from interrogating the man.

Suddenly, a flare shot up and burst into a red spark. That was the signal the guards were told to release if they encountered trouble. She instantly bolted in the direction of the flare.

Nina's eyes narrowed at the person crumpled on the ground, blood splattered on the gray wolf mask. Quickly kneeling next to the injured woman, she examined her wounds. Fortunately, they weren't life threatening.

"Who did this?" She asked, gathering chakra in her hands and beginning to heal the wincing anbu. She noticed there was a trail of blood behind her.

"A green mask... I think he... was an earth user..." She said between breaths. "They snuck up behind me, I wasn't... paying attention. It was my mistake." Her gaze fell to the ground. They stayed silent for a few moments before Nina pulled back her hands.

"Your leg and chest have been healed enough for now. Go straight to the hospital and get them treated properly. They went that way, yes?" She gestured in the direction the woman came from.

The anbu nodded and watched as her commander darted away.

The darkness still lay over the forest which made vision difficult, especially when looking for a person that was deliberately concealing themselves. The leaves cast odd shadows over the ground, keeping Nina on edge. Suddenly, a faint, unfamiliar chakra source dashed past her, no more than twenty feet away. She focused in on it, trying to speculate the person's chakra reserve to get a glimpse of what she would be going against. They were heading towards the center of the village.

After a minute of chasing the person, she finally found them nearing the village's central buildings. The masked figure suddenly noticed Nina and snapped their head towards her. Green eyes locked with black ones.

A barrage of kunai were thrown at the white haired shinobi, piercing the air where she stood a moment ago. The masked enemy felt a presence to their left as something wrapped around their torso, restraining any and all movement. Lifting her hand cautiously, Nina reached for the mask but quickly pulled away when the person's skin began glowing red hot. Flames crept up from inside his body.

She jumped back immediately, wondering what kind of technique this was. Adding more vines to keep him restrained, she only stopped when she noticed he was not struggling even though his hands were free. She realized that the fire was not to burn the branches, but rather himself.

A suicide technique. She made no attempt to put it out, knowing it was likely impossible to extinguish this kinjutsu.

The man was soon nothing but an unidentifiable black mass.

She did find one thing odd, however. Why was the man so quick in using the forbidden technique if it ended in his own demise? Nina knew there must be something that he knew he wouldn't be able to keep hidden if interrogation came into play. That means the enemy held some information that was, quite literally, worth dying over.

Something clicked in her mind.

Sprinting towards the neighboring sector, the one Madara was in charge of, her thoughts raced a mile a second, going through all the possible ways this would end. She could only hope the number of shinobi they ended with would be the same as what they started with.

A familiar Uchiha came into view.

"It was a diversion." She blurted out, landing in front of him.

"What?" Madara questioned, eyebrow raised.

"How many people went to combat the intruders?" She asked hurriedly.

"There were more of them than we thought, maybe half of the anbu and policemen." He said calmly. "What was a diversion?" He frowned. The look on her face told him this was serious.

"The explosion. There are other enemy shinobi in the village, they've snuck in and are going around killing the guards still on patrol." She took a breath, watching his reaction. She then went on to explain how she saw the red flare and her encounter with the masked shinobi. He seemed to believe her, his expression hardening with each word. "Go alert all the guards about the situation. Those two must have already sensed the intruders." She told him, referring to the Senju brothers. There was a flash of annoyance across his face before he nodded and both of them raced away.

Upon finding Hashirama, Nina saw he had just begun fighting two enemy shinobi, both wearing the same mask as the one she had seen. She needed to speed the battle up. Tossing two kunai, they pierced the men's necks before they noticed her. Hashirama turned to her and nodded in recognition. His expression made it clear that he knew something was wrong.

"Intruders somehow snuck into the village without being detected." Nina frowned.

"That's what I suspected. Who else knows?"

"Madara and probably Tobirama. I'll check with him, you go to the Hokage Tower, it's a good vantage point."

A second later, she was again on the move, this time to find the white haired Senju.

After having found Tobirama and meeting up with Madara, the three made a plan. Tobirama would form water clones and guard the compounds, making sure no civilian was harmed. Madara and some guards would block off the boarder of Konoha to ensure the intruders could not escape. Nina, being the fastest, and the rest of the guards were tasked with finding the enemy shinobi and eliminating them. At this point, the sun was around four hours away from rising. They needed to find the infiltrators before then or they would retreat and the entire night would have been pointless.

One by one, Nina found the masked men, they all had the same kinjutsu and were all quick to use it when cornered. This gave her the idea that there was a mastermind who had not yet showed himself, someone these shinobi were protecting. She estimated that at least half of the intruders were taken care of by now.

Then they disappeared. After twenty minutes passed without crossing any masked men, Nina knew something was off. It was as if they had all suddenly retreated, even though sunrise was not for another few hours. Puzzled, Nina decided to head towards the Hokage Tower. If any part of the village was going to be attacked, it was the tower.

The lights were off, and from outside, it looked like no one was inside. After a quick check of the perimeter, Nina stepped into the building and up the stairs. She noticed there was an oil lamp lit in one of the central rooms.

"Hashi-" She narrowed her eyes at the figure sitting at the center of the room.

Definitely not Hashirama.

The person was cloaked and had documents spread out on the floor, only illuminated by the dim glow of the lamp.

"How nice of you to come here, I was about to go out and find you." The voice was smooth, and more surprisingly, female.

"I don't believe we've met." Nina responded calmly, trying to figure out who this person might be.

"We haven't, but now we can." The woman's smirk was evident in her tone. She removed her hood, revealing a young, pale face with dark red hair and poisonous eyes. "My name is Adachi Hana. You may know my grandfather, Adachi Kazan." The smirk was faded, replaced by a menacing stare. "I know you. I know you well, Miss Nina. I know who you are, I know why you're here, I know more than anyone else."

Nina was now on full alert.

"Let me tell you a story my grandfather told me. When he was around twenty, he had gone on hunting with some of his men. Night had fallen and they were about to head home. On their way back, my grandfather had gotten separated from his men. He wandered around for a while, not being able to sense the others, when he suddenly realized something; the moon had turned red. Now, the blood moon was not an unknown event and he had seen many before, but he felt something was different this time. His feet seemed to have a mind of their own, and next thing he knew, he was standing in the edge of a field. At the center was a strange symbol etched into the ground. Standing on that symbol was a woman, surrounded by a red light, seemingly performing a ritual of some sort. He knew that there was something wrong about the woman but couldn't describe it. The next day, upon returning home and telling his clan, he was promptly labeled as insane and disowned by his own family." The woman's dark green eyes did not break contact with Nina's. "For the rest of his life, he searched and searched, but he never saw the strange woman again. He began to actually go insane, he couldn't rest until he found out who she was because he knew in his gut that, not only she was hiding herself for a reason, but also that if he found that reason, he would have made one of the greatest discoveries in history. Ancient manuscripts littered his room and he would pour over them day and night, looking for any clues as to the existence of this woman. No one he ever told believed him, his own sons didn't even believe him." Her glare became angry. "But I did. He made me promise that I would continue his work and find the woman, and so I did. I've spent the last ten years of my life searching for her." A triumphant smirk spread across her face. "And I've found her."

Nina stared at the woman, expression carefully kept blank.

"I'm afraid you're mistaken, I am no such person. I have read about Adachi Kazan, your story must have taken place over fifty years ago, and as you can see, I would not have been alive back then." The lie rolled off her tongue smoothly.

Clearly, Hana did not believe her in the slightest.

"Mm, but you were." The woman put two fingers under her chin. "Because according to my research, you've been around since the first blood moon, almost a thousand years ago."


	10. The Academy

"Nonsense. Living that long is impossible for any human." Nina retorted.

"Exactly. That's why I'm here to ask you how you did it." Hana took a step closer. "I have a deal for you. I have men stationed everywhere around this village, they're all armed with a certain jutsu that will encase the villagers in a permanent tomb. Those in the tomb will die of suffocation, a slow, painful death. My men have been told to carry out this jutsu on my command. Tell me everything about yourself and I'll order a retreat, no one will be harmed."

Nina remained silent, eyes locked in a blank expression in contrast to her racing heartbeat.

"How did you find out?" She asked slowly.

Hana's smirk widened.

"When searching through the history books my grandfather had collected, I found a few odd coincidences. The first one was in an Hatano history book dated around two hundred years ago. You certainly gave my ancestors a scare, destroying that mountain."

Nina closed her eyes, the image of the said event coming to mind.

"During a battle with the Uchiha..." She sighed.

Hana paused for a second, just staring at her.

"So it really is you." Her voice softened ever so slightly, "I was right."

Nina stared back at her cautiously.

"You've finished his work." She chose her words quickly.

The redhead's eyes softened.

"I did" She said proudly, eyes momentarily turning away from Nina.

The next thing she knew, a kunai was pressed against her throat.

In a flash, the woman formed an ox seal and a loud noise was heard from outside, something like a flare bursting.

"That's the signal." Her eyes grew large and wild. She grinned maliciously. "They'll die soon, they'll all die."

Nina cursed under her breath, swiftly flicking her wrist. Blood splattered against the green wallpaper.

Rushing outside, she watched as clay walls shot up out of the ground, forming domes over each compound. She saw Hashirama out of the corner of her eye.

"What happened?!" He shouted.

Nina's jaw clenched.

"I was too slow." She said through grit teeth. "Help me find a way to break these things."

They both tried jutsu after jutsu on the earthen barrier, to no avail, it was stubborn.

Suddenly, Nina froze in the middle of a chain of hand seals.

"Wait." She said, realization dawning on her face. "Hashirama! Dig tunnels into the ground! We'll get in the same way the Adachi did." Nina formed a new chain of seals and pressed her hands against the ground. Dirt pushed itself away and a tunnel was formed. Hashirama used sharp wooden poles to drill a path into the ground.

One at a time, tunnels were dug and the domes were destroyed from the inside, which was surprisingly easy. The pieces of what had been an unmovable tomb were now been shattered and moved outside the village. Madara had showed up halfway through the cleanup. He was thoroughly confused, evident by his expression. After burying the bodies of the fallen shinobi, both from the village and not, it was almost as if nothing happened.

By dawn, the village looked as it did before, perhaps a little dustier.

* * *

"When the first group of children graduate, we should split them into squads and put them under the training of a reliable shinobi." Tobirama suggested.

The other three people in the room nodded in agreement.

"Since there are fifteen graduates, five squads of three would be our best choice." Nina added.

"So it's decided. We'll choose squads in five days, right after the graduation." Hashirama finished, standing up with a grin.

Five months had passed since the incident with the Adachi clan, the village was prospering and everything was going well. The anbu had grown in number and in strength, now all members were formidable opponents in any situation. Nina had not yet told anyone else about her backstory, though no one seemed to ask anymore.

At the moment, Nina was heading towards the academy building. Despite her efforts, Tobirama had somehow convinced her to help with the teaching. She could often be found in a classroom as a 'special speaker', teaching the children about different types of ninjutsu and genjutsu, once she had even been asked to perform a summoning. Groans and complaints were heard for the rest of the day when the request had been denied.

"Madara." She observed, mildly surprised at the sight of the approaching Uchiha. "What are you doing here?" It was rare for him to come to the academy due to the fact that it was operated by a certain Senju that he hated so thoroughly.

"I'm here to see if this place is fit for Uchiha children to attend." He frowned at his own words, as if he was being forced to say them.

Nina was surprised to say the least, but quickly offered a small smile.

"I'll show you around." She said, turning towards the academy doors. There were currently no Uchiha students enrolled, nor were there any Uchiha teachers. If Madara were to allow the clan's children attend, the future of Konoha would be further secured with a promising generation of fire users.

After showing Madara the main staff areas, Nina went on to the classrooms. School was not over yet, lessons were being taught and students were still in the rooms. She intended to just have him take a look inside and quickly leave, as to not interrupt the lesson. However, Madara wasn't satisfied with that.

"Deciding whether or not to let my clan's children attend this academy is not a small issue." He stated.

Nina sighed as she knew what he meant, though she didn't disagree with him.

"Fine. Just don't disturb the kids." She opened the door to one of the classrooms and motioned for him to end. A dozen heads turned, staring at the man who had stepped in. Nina followed behind him, whispering something to the man teaching the class, who nodded and whispered something back.

Nina moved to stand next to Madara by the back of the room. They listened as the man resumed his lesson: the history of paper bombs. Madara zoned out halfway through. He glanced down at Nina who stood to his right, his face unreadable. He quickly directed his eyes back to the instructor when she looked his way. He saw her give him an odd glance from the corner of his eye.

The lesson soon ended and the man motioned towards to the two at the back of the room.

"Students, we have some very important guests today. Can anyone tell me who they are?" The teacher asked.

A boy with spikey brown hair shot his hand up.

"I know! He's the Uchiha leader and the lady is Miss Nina." The boy stated, clearly proud of himself. "She taught us about fuinjutsu in my other class."

"Correct. They both work closely with the Hokage, please be respectful." The teacher said, glancing over the children.

A girl with blonde pigtails raised her hand.

"Can we ask them questions after class?" She asked excitedly.

"Of course." The man smiled.

Nina and Madara glanced at each other, a look that said they knew they were in trouble. Neither had any desire to deal with this many children.

The instructor dismissed the class and all hell broke loose.

"Show us your best jutsu!"

"How old are you?"

"How many people have you killed?"

"Teach us some cool justus!"

Ten minutes later, the two of them managed to escape the hoard of ten year olds. They only stopped when they were a good hundred meters away from the building.

"I told you we shouldn't have gone in." Nina leaned against a tree, arms crossed. She only received a 'hn' from the Uchiha. "Anyways, do you think you'll let your clan's children attend the academy?" She questioned.

"I'll think about it." He said simply, looking back to the building in the distance.

For the next few hours, the two sat under the shade of a tall tree, jumping from one topic to another. Time seemed to fly by, as the sun was soon halfway down the horizon, the sky a mosaic of reds and yellows.

"How long do you see this village lasting?" Madara asked suddenly.

Nina turned to him, slightly confused as to where the question came from.

"How long..." She repeated slowly. "I certainly don't see it failing any time soon." She waited a while but received no answer. "What's wrong?" She asked, turning to face him.

"Nothing." Was the stoic response.

"What is it?" She pressed.

There was a long pause.

"Nothing." He was clearly done talking about this.

Nina, however, wasn't fazed, she was too used to his attitude. She decided to drop the topic for now, turning back to face the brilliant horizon. They sat in comfortable silence for the next few hours, even when the sky became dark and the stars began winking down at them.

* * *

Squads had been decided and the graduating class was sitting anxiously, waiting to see which one they would be on. Both Hashirama and Tobirama were present in the classroom, Nina standing with them. Hashirama had given a short speech before the announcing of teams, explaining what it meant to be a shinobi and what they should prepare themselves for.

It was soon time for the students to find out who their team and sensei would be.

"Yutara Shinji, Senju Jun, Nara Yukimi."

The three twelve year olds stood from their seats and moved to the end of the first row which had purposely been left empty. They sat together silently, Nina knew they weren't too fond of each other.

"You are Team 1."

Then three more teams were announced, leaving only the last one to be officially formed.

"Inuzaka Kai, Hamasaki Kaiya, Hiruzen Sarutobi. You are Team 5." Closing the book that he was reading off of, Tobirama looked up at the neat row of students, all sitting with their teammates. "Look around this room. Look carefully. These are your allies and rivals. You will encourage and help each other grow to be powerful shinobi. We believe you will all succeed and prosper." Faces varied from determined to slightly apprehensive. "Now, go meet your sensei in the area you have been assigned to."

"Yes sir!" The new genin squads scattered to find their sensei. The two adults were left in the now quiet classroom as Hashirama had taken his leave earlier.

"Go and find your team. Don't keep them waiting." Nina gestured for him to hurry.

Both shinobi exited the room, exchanged a nod, and headed their separate ways.

* * *

The vibrant green trees rustled lightly in the wind, dotted with colorful flowers. The sky was a light blue, clouds were scattered throughout its never ending surface, pushed gently by a light breeze. Villagers strolled through the scenic streets, they were all couples or families.

Nina sat leaning against a tall oak tree on top of the cliff overlooking the village. Hashirama's face had just been carved into the stone a few months ago. The woman gazed blankly at the village; as beautiful as it was, she couldn't help but to feel as though she didn't belong. Not in the way that she wasn't welcome, but rather that she shouldn't be there.

She didn't know how many hours had passed by the time she decided to get up, but the sun was nearing the horizon. On her way to her house, she came across an unexpected person.

"Elder Risu." She greeted.

The older woman smiled, wrinkles obvious on the corners of her eyes. Her once brown hair was now streaked with white.

"Miss Nina, how have you been?" The Senju asked.

"Quite well, thank you. And yourself?"

"Ah, not too bad." She looked in the distance.

Nina was puzzled at her withdrawn behavior until she remembered that her son was one of the victims of the village infiltration a while back.

"I'm sorry for your loss." She said, using her best sympathetic tone.

"He died a brave man." The Senju's eyes became slightly glossy. "He had just come back from a mission from the Land of Water. How coincidental that bandits from the same place would be the ones to take his life."

Right, that was what the villagers had been told. The victims were all killed outside the village by bandits from the Land of Water. Nina was one of the people to support the cover story, they had all thought that telling the truth would cause serious paranoia among the clans and the alliances could be weakened. Vulnerability to more attacks could potentially be fatal to Konoha as a village, not even the anbu or police force had been told of what really happened. The truth stayed between the four shinobi.

"He was a good man." Nina stated simply.

The elder nodded and let out a slow breath.

"Anyways, I hear the first group of genin has graduated from the academy, it must have been a difficult first year for you." She commented, a smile returning to her face.

"It was difficult for everyone, future years should go smoother." Nina nodded to herself.

"I do hope so. Oh, I have something I need to get to, so I'll be taking my leave. It was good to speak with you again, young lady." She smiled and walked pass the taller woman.

Nina returned to her house soon after. Sitting on the edge of the bed, she gazed at the familiar staff leaning against the wooden wall across from her.

_"What's this?" A white haired woman asked, examining the handle of the unfamiliar object. The staff gleamed in the moonlight. She had only seen one like it before, and that one belonged to the man in front of her._

_"A shakujō. Before the clan relocated, Hamura and I decided that you would need this." The fragile form of the elderly man said._

_The woman frowned._

_"Before the clan relocated? That was almost seventy years ago! Why give this to me now?" She asked, confusion evident on her features._

_"I was here for the past seventy years, I trained you and showed you the extent of your power. But now I don't have any time left, yet there are still some things you must learn. That was what my brother and I were afraid of. Our clan cannot be here to teach you, and when I pass, there will be no one at all. However, Hamura and I have infused parts of our chakra into this staff. It will guide you. It will teach you everything you need to know to protect our clan's descendants. Keep it safe." He glanced through the window next to him, the night was clear and the moon shone bright. "My time on this planet has come to an end, yours must not."_

That was the last time she saw her friend.

That was the last time she felt safe.

The first few years were hard. She slowly learned new abilities that seemed show themselves at random intervals. Unfortunately, they took much longer to learn without someone to properly teach her. Kamui had taken her nearly three years to master. But time soon began to become fuzzy and years blurred into decades which blurred into centuries. It seemed to get easier after she finally accepted her fate and duty. She also began to learn new techniques faster, even though new skills were revealing themselves less and less, she took it as a sign that her training was coming to an end. The difficult thing was finding a place to practice the techniques. During times of war, the surrounding areas were all either owned or claimed by one clan or another, being discovered was a worry of hers from the very beginning.

She did manage to find ways to train, mainly during conflicts in which either the Uchiha or Senju were involved. She would use newly discovered techniques during these battles, though only when she knew she could help them win. Over time, she found new, more effective ways to subtly help them. There were, however, certain jutsus that could not be carelessly used in battle, and those were the ones she had to risk secrecy in order to practice.

Every once in a while, she would purposely begin training in an area that belonged to a clan. The techniques she would practice were among the most powerful that she knew, special ones she learned from the great Sage himself. Of course, more than one surrounding clan would rush to the area, sensing large bursts of what she would always hear them call 'strange chakra'. The time frame in which she could stay to train was very short. These brief, dangerous training sessions never failed to end in a speedy escape, usually just as the first group of scouts arrived. Inefficient as this method was, there was simply no other way for her to get any training in for those certain jutsus. It was either that or nothing.

Time left no mark on her; she remained untouched by age, that was one of the abilities her clan's chakra had. It was more than a little odd for the first century, never seeing any change in your appearance, but appearance all together soon became a trivial thing that was almost never on her mind. After centuries of glancing at the same face, she knew what she looked like.

_Knock knock_

The sound pulled her out of her daze.

_Knock knock knock_

Someone frantically tapped at her door. Odd. There had never anyone at her home before.

Standing up, she slid over and turned the brass handle. Careful to keep her shakujō and books out of the visitor's line of sight, she opened the door.

"I apologize for having to intrude in your place of residence, but the Hokage request for your immediate presence in his office." An anbu bearing a bird mask said, head lowered in respect.

"Alright, you are dismissed." Nina responded promptly.

After a swift bow, the man was gone. She headed towards the tower at a slightly hurried pace.

'Must be important.'

Hashirama stopped pacing the moment his office door clicked open. Nina stepped into the large space, giving the man a questioning look. He hesitated when he saw her, almost as if he wasn't sure what to say.

"What is it?" She asked, concerned.

The Senju frowned deeply and slowly opened his mouth.

"Madara's gone."


	11. The Next Hokage

"He said he's found his own path, that his goals and the villages could never coexist." Hashirama grimaced, clenching his fists. "He left. I couldn't stop him."

Nina did not say a word.

Hashirama told her about everything that had happened, from the conflict with Tobirama about who would be become Hokage to Madara showing him the stone tablet.

"Nina, you're an Ōtsutsuki, both the Uchiha and Senju descended from your clan, you must know something about the tablet." He sounded desperate, almost as if he was pleading with her. "Do you know what it really says?" There was a long moment of silence. Finally, Nina spoke softly, voice strangely empty.

"Hagoromo left it for Indra's decedents, it eventually fell into Uchiha hands. That's all I know." She stated.

"Do you think you could decipher it if I brought you there?" Hashirama pressed.

"No. He never told me how to read it." Nina finished. "I'll help with whatever else I can." She swallowed any emotions she had towards the situation and switched to brainstorming the best solutions.

"He's not going to come back." The distressed Senju rested his head in his hands. "I tried to convince him, but he wouldn't listen." He was defeated.

"You told me he said he would be looking forward to a final fight, right?" The man nodded slowly. "Then he will be back, just not in the way we may want. We'll have to be ready, there must be a way to change his mind." Nina attempted to raise his hope.

"If we are to defend the village without killing him then we will need your help." He sighed, looking her dead in the eye. "You'll have to tell Tobirama at the very least." She knew what he meant, she knew the time would come. As a high-ranking village leader and, dare she say, a friend, Tobirama had the right to know about her past.

So she told him.

After giving him a few hours to comprehend what he was being told, the younger Senju had gotten over his confusion. The room, consisting of Nina and the brothers, had fallen silent.

"Ōtsutsuki, huh?" The white haired man droned quietly.

"Yes." She confirmed with a nod. He seemed to be taking this quite well. Another moment of silence fell.

"That explains a lot." He closed his eyes. "I always knew there was something off about you." He sighed. "Well, let's get to work. We don't know how long we have until Madara comes back."

The village shinobi were put under intense training sessions day in and day out, the anbu especially. The Senju leaders and Nina were also dedicating extensive periods of time to training, individually and together. They would usually go out, far away from the village and train for hours upon hours. At most, to two of them could leave at one time, the other would watch the village and make sure nothing went wrong. When Nina went with one of the Senjus, she would teach them jutsus that she believed would fit their skill set and make them stronger. She would also learn techniques from them.

Nina had spoken to Izuna not long after she first heard the news. He was deeply upset but was more concerned about his brother's safety. Apparently, Madara had not said anything to anyone about leaving.

"He did announce that he wanted to leave Konoha and tried to gain the clan's support but leaving the village didn't seem to be on anyone's mind." Izuna told her solemnly. "He's been trying to convince the council and elders for months." Nina thought about this, expression hardened with concentration. If Madara's had the idea for so long than perhaps that was why he had all but disappeared for a week all those months ago. That must be why he asked her how long she thought the village would last.

She found that she was training harder than she had for a long time, having little regard for much else. Of course, she wanted to see Madara return to the village, she knew Konoha could grow into a great village with time, but it would be much more difficult without his support. Logic and reasoning aside, Nina felt there was something else driving her, something more personal. Maybe she had become more fond of him than she cared to believe. Pushing the thought to the back of her mind, she focused on forcefully throwing a kunai at a tree, the metal ripped through the spine of the leaf, splitting it into two perfect halves.

* * *

The day came sooner than anyone would have liked. The evening was almost coming to an end when an explosion echoed just outside the village, the three leaders were at the scene in an instant. A mammoth creature loomed over the buildings, it was covered with what appeared to be a susanoo shell. Nina was familiar with the susanoo as she had seen Hagoromo's before, it was an impressive jutsu to say the least. There was something else familiar though, something that pulled at a distant memory of hers. Suddenly, it clicked, the blue armor and the weight of the situation had distracted her from identifying what it was that she had detected.

"Kurama." She mumbled under her breath, frowning in anger.

"Nina." Hashirama had not heard what she said, too focused on his opponent who stood on the fox's head. "Stay a good distance away and monitor the battle, Tobirama will return to the village and protect the villagers, only interfere of I am incapacitated. This is my fight." Determination seeped from his voice. Nina nodded hesitantly, having a very bad feeling about those two fighting seriously. She jumped back, away from the inevitable battle, Tobirama at her heels.

An enormous wooden statue with what must have been hundreds of arms rose from the ground, Hashirama standing on its head, he was now just above eye level with Madara, the Uchiha commanded the nine tails forward. Even from afar, it was clear that Hashirama was trying to reason with him, as futile as he knew it was. Nina was pulled further back by Tobirama, she dragged her eyes away from the scene, looking towards the younger Senju. He motioned for her to back up then darted away after telling her to be careful. Giving one last glance at the Kyuubi, she reluctantly turned away from the battle, whispering a prayer to whichever entity was listening. Behind her, a thunderous crash could be heard, she dared not look back.

Time moved at a snail's pace. Watching the two men battle with such unrelenting power, each moment lasted an eternity. It took every fiber of her being to restrain herself from jumping in. The leaders of the two clans she needed to protect were locked in battle right before her eyes, a battle that would not end until one of them was dead.

Almost half an hour had passed and blows were thrown back and forth, ones that surely could have drilled through any mountain. After multiple attempts, the fox's susanoo shell was finally stripped away, and as much as she tried to stop herself, she sped towards the scene. She knew that both sides were tired and ready to end this battle, there would be no holding back. Hashirama and Madara both paused for the slightest of moments, focusing chakra their final attacks. An arrow of purple chakra shot from the left side while a barrage of blue chakra bullets flew from the right. They were not a meter away from hitting each other when they suddenly collided with something else.

A massive cloud of dust and debris invaded the air, blocking everything from sight for a solid minute until a gust of wind blew it aside, revealing what had happened: a large red barrier, crackling with energy, was suspended in the air right where the two attacks should have collided, inside was a familiar white haired woman, hands outstretched on either side to keep the shield up. Both men recognized the technique: The Moral Barrier, a semi-clear wall that, depending on the user's will, could either amplify or suppress any jutsu it came in contact with. This barrier was easily recognizable by its unique color as well as the sheer amount of chakra power radiating from it. Because it was such a powerful technique, it also drained very large amounts of chakra very quickly. The sphere flickered for a moment and faded. After having processed what had happened, Madara wasted no time in taking advantage of the situation, rapidly forming more hand seals, he blew a large fireball at the now vulnerable woman, who quickly covered with a wall of earth. Nina quickly jumped back, landing next to Hashirama, he was clearly upset that she had intervened but understood why she did so. The result of his and Madara's attacks colliding would have done significant damage not only to their surroundings, but also to themselves. This battle, however, needed to come to an end or even more damage would be caused. Hashirama let out a slow breath.

_'I hope you'll forgive me…'_

* * *

Nina opened her eyes and immediately winced at the pounding in her head. As blinking stars slowly came into view, she noticed the air was cold and silent. Turning her head to the left, she saw someone's back facing her. Not Madara, not Hashirama, so it must be Tobirama. She recalled that she had leapt back to stand next to Hashirama after avoiding Madara's attack, but anything that might have happened after that was blank. The Senju next to her turned and stared down at her, eyes emptier than usual. Silence rang around them as realization dawned on the woman. She sat up, praying that her suspicion was wrong, yet when her eyes landed on the body of a familiar Senju, cold and lifeless, she knew what had happened.

"Madara?" Nina asked quietly, as if speaking any louder would make the situation more real.

"Yes." Tobirama understood what she was asking. "They're both gone."

* * *

A woman with long white hair sat quietly in her office, focused on reading the application forms on her desk. There were dozens of papers with different names and information written on them. Academy enrollment forms. There were many more than there had been last year, two piles stacked high on either side of her. The woman stared blankly at the papers as she read and signed each of them one by one, only the sound of ink against paper could be heard. A knock came at the door.

"Come in." She replied without pausing in her work. The door opened and two masked anbu stepped in. They bowed low and one of them spoke in an even voice.

"The Hidden Mist Village has requested a meeting with both Commanders." The shorter of the two stepped forward and placed a scroll on the desk. Not looking up or stopping her work, she thanked and dismissed then men, they bowed quickly and disappeared. She gently set down her brush and picked up the scroll, unrolling it and skimming over the text.

'The messenger hawks should be sent straight to Tobirama.' She thought, making a mental note to get that changed. The letter asked for a face to face meeting in one week. According to what she knew, the Hidden Mist Village had formed not long ago, it was perhaps just half a year old. At the bottom, the scroll was signed 'Shodai Mizukage, Byakuren'. A young village seeking alliance with a more experienced one, such as Konoha, was not odd, she had seen two other similar requests in the last few months. Having spoken with Tobirama about this issue, they had decided to accept meetings with all who requested it and decide whether or not to ally with them afterwards. Another knock came at the door.

"Come in." Was again the reply. The door opened and in walked a familiar Senju. "Back from hunting?" She asked halfheartedly.

"I am. How is the application approval going?" Tobirama asked, picking up a stack of finished forms. Instead of answering the question, Nina narrowed her eyes at him.

"What is it?" She asked, voice becoming serious.

"What?" He questioned, raising an eyebrow.

"There's something bothering you that not even hunting could get off your mind. You wouldn't have come here otherwise." She stated, analyzing his expression carefully. After a short pause, he spoke up.

"I'm looking for someone else to take over." He admitted. Ever since he had become Hokage after the incident three months ago, he's been isolating himself more. Nina had the sneaking suspicion that he was having doubts about his position within the village.

"Who are you thinking of?" She decided to play along.

"No one yet." He responded.

"I doubt there's anyone in this village who can do your job better than you can." She looked him dead in the eye. There was a minute of silence between them. Nina was the one who finally spoke. "Come on." She stood up from her seat, knowing what he was thinking. "Let's go visit him."

Both of the white haired shinobi kneeled in front of a large tombstone, intricate words were carved into its face.

_Senju Hashirama_

_A kind leader_

_A noble man_

Flowers lay at the base of the stone, the two only stared at the eight words, not speaking any themselves. After a long while, Nina stood up slowly, put a hand on the man's shoulder, and silently walked off, knowing that he needed some privacy. Three months was not nearly enough time to heal, Nina knew this well.

Thoughtlessly striding slowly across the village graveyard, Nina found herself standing before another headstone. She stared down at it for a moment before kneeling in front of it. Her eyes gazed sadly at the blank stone.

 _'Sorry I haven't been able to visit you sooner.'_  She thought, as if the dead could read minds.  _'Some other Hidden Villages have formed, we've stopped trying to get rid of them... and Konoha is thriving. Not quite what you thought it to be, was it?'_  A sad smile spread across her usually stoic features.

"Nina?"The voice surprised her and she whipped around to see a familiar raven haired Uchiha.

"Izuna." She greeted. The man walked to her side and knelt down as well.

"I didn't think you would be here. You're usually pretty busy." He commented, trying to lighten the mood. Nina continued to stare at the grave.

"I thought it was about time I come by." She replied gently, careful not to say anything too emotional. Izuna cracked a small smile.

"I'm sure he would have appreciated it." He said. "He wasn't a bad person." Izuna added quickly. "It's just that he wasn't thinking clearly." Nina turned to him, seeing that he was struggling to keep his composure.

"I know, but he wouldn't have wanted his dear brother to be crying over him," She said gently, "Would he?"

"I'm not crying!" The Uchiha shouted defensively, squeezing his eyes closed. Nina let a smile slip.

"Of course not."

* * *

"Where were you?" Tobirama asked halfheartedly upon seeing Nina enter the Hokage Tower. "What have you been doing for the past hour?"

"Same thing you were doing, visiting a passed friend." She said simply, opening her office door and shutting it behind her. The Senju stared at the closed door, expression unreadable.

 _'Madara...'_  He mused.

* * *

Nina opened her eyes slowly, scrolls and papers fading into view. She sat up and blinked the sleep from her eyes. Glancing out the window to her left, she saw the sun was just peaking over the horizon; she must have fallen asleep while working. She stood up slowly and left her office, deciding to take a short walk before getting back to her workload. Ever since the incident, the pressure on her and Tobirama had been increased significantly now that there was only two of them to keep things in check.

Nina was surprised to hear clashing and rustling coming from just east of the Hokage Tower, a large section of land dedicated as training fields. It was still very early and most people were not up yet. Making her way towards the source of the sound, she saw two unexpected figures; one was the same white haired Senju she worked with, the other a young boy with a mess of short brown hair whom she recognized as one of the boys on Tobirama's team. It seemed a training session was going on, though she wondered why they were training at this time of day. The two continued to spar for the next ten minutes, she was impressed with the child's skill, he was quick and seemed to be quite strong, of course she expected nothing less from Tobirama's student. A while after she first spotted the two, the training seemed to have concluded, Tobirama giving the boy feedback on his movements and chakra control. The brunette turned his head and spotted Nina, jumping in surprise. He wondered why he didn't sense her there.

"Look sensei! It's Miss Nina!" He whispered loudly, pointing in her direction. Tobirama only sighed.

"It's not polite to lurk." He stated aloud. Chuckling, the woman stepped out from the shadows and approached the two. "This is Sarutobi Hiruzen, one of my students." He introduced.

"Pleased to meet you." Nina offered a slight nod, the boy smiled wide and bowed aggressively.

"It's an honor to meet you!" He shouted, causing both adults to blink in surprise. He snapped up straight and smiled again. "I think you're really cool! Almost as cool as Tobirama-sensei!" He exclaimed, causing the said man to sigh once more.

"Hiruzen, our training has concluded for today, go home and rest." He said, and with a nod, the young boy ran off, waving back at the two white haired shinobi.

"Cute kid." Nina commented, staring at the quickly retreating form.

"He has quite some potential." The Senju stated. Nina let out a breath and closed her eyes slowly.

_'A Sarutobi prodigy, poor boy, groomed to be Hokage at such an age...'_


	12. The Kyuubi

"How are you, Mito?" Nina asked, sitting down on the large white armchair. The redhead had asked to speak with her earlier that day.

"Quite well, surprisingly." She said with a small smile. "I was hoping to talk to you about something." She paused, thinking over what she should say. "You know about the tailed beast that was sealed within me, right? The one Madara had used during that battle." Nina nodded, indicating for her to continue. "It seems very hostile, it has only spoken to me once in these three months." She looked down at the floor, seeming troubled.

"What did he say?" Nina asked, hoping that Kurama was doing well; she hadn't seen him since the battle.

"Actually, it mentioned you. It... asked to speak with you." Mito said slowly, as if she needed to make sure her memory was correct. "Nina, I don't understand, do you know what it wants with you?"

"No, but I do want to speak with him, do you mind?" Nina asked.

Mito was visibly confused and hesitant, only agreeing upon one condition:

"You have to tell me what this is all about afterwards." She demanded.

"I will." Nina promised. She lifted her hand and placed it on the other woman's forehead; she should be able to access the Kyuubi's chakra through Mito.

At first, all she felt was a heavy concentration of the kunoichi's own chakra, everything else was dark. Suddenly she felt a wisp of familiar red chakra, distinctly separate from Mito's. Grabbing hold of it, she grew closer and, when she was close enough, felt as if she was being pulled in by an invisible source.

Nina stood up, looking around the dark room. She stepped forward and felt an odd sensation at her heels. Looking down, she saw the floor was covered in water, there was also a distant dripping sound.

"Look who it is." A deep voice behind her mused.

A small grin settled on her face as she felt more and more of the familiar chakra surround her.

"It's been a while, hasn't it?" Nina asked, turning around.

In front of her was a large iron cage that towered high above her head, it was blanketed in shadows, obscuring the back half of the inside. A large paw emerged out of the shadows and into view, the rest of the body followed.

"A couple hundred years, yes." The fox said. He laid down, bringing his head to her level. "You haven't changed at all, I see." He recalled the same woman standing in front of him when he was just a kit.

"I could say the same for you." She stated, sitting down on the wet ground. She took a good look at the large beast, he's grown a bit larger since the last time she saw him. "So what have you been up to?"

And they talked for hours, exchanging stories. Kurama spoke about his jinchurikis, from the first to the current, he told the story of his adventures and encounters with different humans and creatures, of all the things he hated about this world. Nina spoke about her encounters with the Senju and Uchiha clans, of her centuries of solitude, and of the people she's met.

"I've made a few friends through the years, but they were few and far apart. Not to mention they've all passed by now." She paused as the years of pain and loss hit her once again. She took a breath and smiled, meeting the fox's eyes. "There are a few left, however: Mito, the woman you're being sealed in now, and Tobirama, her brother in law."

The Kyuubi sneered at her words.

"We're above all of them, humans are pathetic and weak." He closed his eyes and rested his head on his paws.

"Well, yes, the human race is in quite the mess right now, but I wouldn't say we're much better than them. If we could see what was happening with my clan at the moment, I'm sure we would see that they have their own issues." Nina reasoned. "And I have met many humans who held quite some power, too, though few of them had good intentions." She admitted.

The fox turned his head slowly.

"You're talking about that Uchiha that I was sealed in a while ago." Kurama growled at the thought of the glaring, war clad form of Madara. "Humans like him are repulsive."

Nina's gaze fell at this, her expression almost seemed regretful.

"I don't think he was a bad person." Her voice was softer now. "He was just misguided."

"Misguided?" Kurama sneered. "He was the-" He stopped when he saw the woman's expression, something he'd never seen on her before: sadness. Not that he understood why it was there, she herself probably didn't even know. "Forget it." He huffed, again resting his head on his paws.

"Anyways," Nina put on another small smile, pushing the previous conversation aside, "I shouldn't keep Mito waiting, she's probably quite bored by now." She stood up, stepping forward and reaching her hand through the cage bars. "Bring your head here."

Kurama only stared at her.

"I am not a pet, Nina." He stated.

"For old times' sake." She smiled warmly at him, reminding him more of the expressions she used to wear. "If I say please?"

The fox hesitated for a moment but soon gave in, bringing his nose down to her hand. She patted him a few times, remembering how she used to do the same thing when he was younger. When they were both younger.

Pulling her hand out of the cage, the fox sat up and looked down at her.

"I need to go, but I'll talk with you soon." She promised as she disappeared from the room, giving one last smile.

Kurama stared silently at the place where she had stood, a low chuckle echoed around the room.

'I guess I was wrong. Maybe you have changed...'

Nina opened her eyes, pulling her hand away from Mito. The redhead opened her eyes as well.

"Did you speak to it?" She asked curiously.

"I did, thank you." Nina responded, pleased with how things went.

"Well?" Mito looked at her expectantly. "Will you tell me what it wanted with you?"

Nina let out a slow breath, she would have to start from the beginning.

Mito was more skeptical than the other two had been, questioning every fact and clearly doubtful at the beginning. However, when Nina explained how she first met the tailed beasts and why she knew Kurama, Mito began to understand. By the end of the story, she was just as shocked as the Senjus had been.

"Ōtsutsuki... I never would have thought... Does that mean you're-?"

"Old?" Nina finished for her. "Yes, very." She smiled at herself.

"And Tobirama knows?" Mito asked, receiving a nod. "What about..." Her gaze faltered.

"Hashirama knew. I never got around to telling Madara." Nina knew Mito didn't want to have to say his name.

The Uzumaki suddenly seemed to have remembered something.

"You've never married, right?" She asked suddenly.

Nina was taken aback at the sudden change in topic.

"I haven't. Why?" She asked suspiciously.

Mito frowed slightly.

"Did you, perhaps... have feelings for Madara?"

Nina blinked once.

Twice.

Three times before she comprehended the question. Her face immediately contorting into a deep scowl.

"Where did you get that idea?" The white haired shinobi demanded, causing the other woman to chuckle and wave her off.

"Nothing, nothing. I just saw you two together a lot. Anyways," She cleared her throat, getting serious once again. "The reason I asked was because I was thinking about setting you up with Tobirama." She continued before Nina could interrupt her. "He's the Hokage, yet has no family of his own, getting married would certainly help him be seen as more mature, more able to lead. It'll also boost his image in and out of the village. Besides, he's the most eligible bachelor in the Land of Fire." Mito stated, trying hard to convince her to agree.

Nina stared at the woman as if she had just grown another head.

"What?" Was the first word from her mouth when she had snapped out of her confusion "Did you really just ask me to marry that brat?" Her eyes were wide and unbelieving.

Mito chuckled.

"Did you pick that up from Madara?"

But Nina did not hear her words.

"Did you not hear anything I just said? You know that marriage is not a part of my purpose here."

"But you two get along quite well."

"Mito, I will not be getting married to anyone anytime soon."

"Who's not getting married to anyone anytime soon?" A new voice joined the two women.

"Speak of the devil." Mito smiled. "What do you need, Tobirama?"

The said man handed her a scroll. She unfurled it and glanced over its contents.

"It's from my clan back in Uzushiogakure, they say something urgent has come up and they need me there." She frowned at the thought of what might be wrong. "It sounds serious..."

"When will you leave?" Tobirama asked.

Mito thought for a moment before answering.

"Tonight. I need to be there as soon as possible, just in case there's something that needs my attention." She nodded at herself, deciding that leaving tonight would be best, then she frowned, as if she had just remembered something. "Wait, I had promised my son that I would watch his daughter tonight and tomorrow, he's going on a personal mission with his wife." She pinched the bridge of her nose and squeezed her eyes shut, trying to think of something. Suddenly, her eyes snapped back open. "Will you take care of her for me?" She looked at Tobirama with hope.

He immediately shook his head.

"I have something I need to attend to, it will take a while."

Mito's expression dropped but soon became hopeful again, this time, her eyes landed on Nina.

"Will you watch her?" She pleaded. "She's really not much trouble."

Nina sighed, dealing with children was not her strong point, however, if it was to help a friend, she would do it.

"Fine."

"Perfect! I owe you one. Just come back here at sunset and I'll make sure you have everything you'll need. Thank you." She gave Nina a quick hug before turning to her brother in law. "After I get my things ready I'll be on my way, I'll report back with a messenger hawk once I know the situation."

* * *

That night, Nina arrived back at Mito's home when the sun was halfway down the horizon and was quickly ushered in by an anxious Uzumaki.

"I've prepared dinner for the both of you already, all you need to do is keep her entertained until she falls asleep. For tomorrow she can just look around the kitchen and see what she wants, my son should be back by this time tomorrow, he knows that you're taking care of Tsunade and sends his thanks." Mito stopped to take a breath. "I should be going now, Tsunade is just in the other room. Thanks again!" And with that she was out the door.

A sound from behind her prompted her to turn around. A small blonde girl, maybe three years old, peaked out from behind the doorway between the kitchen and the living room.

"Are you Miss Nina?" She asked tentatively.

Nina put on the best smile she could manage.

"Yes, and you are Tsunade?"

The young girl nodded.

"Well, your grandmother asked me to keep you company for a while, is that ok?"

Another nod from the girl.

"Granny Mito said you were nice." Tsunade swung her legs at the dinner table, gripping a fork in her right hand. Nina set some plates down on the low-set table, the child eyeing each one as they were put down. She immediately took a forkful of karaage before Nina could even place a bowl in front of her, shoving into her mouth and giving a satisfied smile. "Granny Mito's food is the best!" She said, shifting her attention to the soup next to her. She continued to ramble on about this and that while she ate, Nina occasionally humming to show she was listening.

After dinner, Nina took to washing the plates that had been finished and placing those that had not into the fridge. Tsunade had been running around from the kitchen to the living room, urging Nina to play with her.

When the older woman had finished washing and storing away the dishes, she finally gave in and let herself be pulled towards the adjourning room. There was a corner filled with boxes that held various dolls, books, and oddly shaped toys, Nina wasn't too familiar with what children were playing with these days.

"Look!" A book was shoved into her face. Upon closer inspection, she saw it was a picture book about none other than Hashirama. "It's about grandpa! Dad said he was really awesome!" The blonde grinned at the cover of the book, a cartoon version her of grandfather.

"Your father was right." Nina found the child's energy very entertaining.

"You knew grandpa?" Tsunade asked excitedly, eyes shining in wonder. "He was really awesome!" She repeated with a giggle.

Nina stared down at the girl, wondering how someone could ever be so happy.

Her thought was cut short by a knock at the door. Startled, she turned to look in its direction.

"Who is it?" Tsunade chimed curiously, getting up and running to the door. Nina quickly caught her and pulled her back, telling her to stay put.

She stood and walked towards the door, cracking it open slightly. She pulled the handle back some more upon seeing who it was.

"What?" Nina asked impatiently.

"I'm here to see my grandniece." Tobirama said, casually brushing past her.

"Something you needed to attend to, huh?" Nina mocked his previous words, closing the door behind her.

"It appears my business has concluded early." He retorted with ease, earning an eye roll from the woman.

"Tobi-jii-san!" Tsunade ran towards Tobirama when she saw him enter the house.

He knelt down and greeted her warmly, Nina observed from the side, amused.

"Nina-san, can Tobi-jii-san play with us?" Tsunade asked, practically radiating excitement.

"Of course." She answered simply, following the girl as she dragged the man into the living room, giggling all the while.

Tsunade quickly wore out the two adults who simply could not keep up with her energy. Eventually, the blonde nodded off while Tobirama read her a story. He silently closed the book and set it aside, making sure not to wake the child. When she was sure Tsunade was fully asleep, Nina stood and gently scooped up the girl, bringing her to her room. Gently closing the door behind her, she stepped back into the living room, settling herself an armchair.

"You're good with kids." Tobirama commented, Nina scoffed at this.

"I was about to say the same thing." She stated with an exasperated sigh.

"Get some sleep." He said, standing up and walking towards the door. "I'll be back sometime tomorrow."

"Hm. Busy, aren't you?" She asked sarcastically.

There was only a 'tch' in response before the front door clicked close.

Nina let out another breath, deciding that she should get at least a few hours of sleep before having to deal with the child's unlimited energy again, so she closed her eyes, leaned her head on the side of the armchair and soon drifted to sleep.

* * *

Nina seemed to be in a forest. The trees around her rustled back and forth yet made no sound, the river next to her rushed past yet she could not hear its movement.

There was no sound at all.

The forest was dead.

It seemed to be nighttime, she looked up but there was no moon, there was however, something in the sky. An odd, multicolored orb was much bigger than the moon. The object was swirled with greens and blues.

She wandered around the forest, trying to find someone or something that could explain what this place was, the entire area seemed so foreign. Something peaked over the tips of the trees; it looked like the roof of a house. Hoping to find some answers, Nina continued towards what must have been a town, meaning to ask someone about this place.

What she saw was more than off putting.

Not a town, but a huge city of houses and buildings lay before her. The structures were all made of pale wood planks and seemed to be an odd variation of the traditional Japanese home. This would have been a nice scene had it not been for the fact that the place was completely abandoned. Some parts of houses had rotted away, the roads overtaken by dust and debris. Walking though the ghost town, she passed at particular house with its door missing, glancing inside, she saw the remnants of a people long gone.

What was it about this place that was so familiar?

"Heeeeeey!"

A high voice jerked her from her sleep. Turning her head, Nina saw that it was Tsunade, it must have been a few hours past sunrise. She silently scolded herself for sleeping in so late, those all-nighters she's been pulling lately had taken their toll.

"I'm huuungry." The girl complained.

"You didn't find anything in the kitchen?" Nina asked, standing up and stretching her legs.

Tsunade shook her head.

"What would you like?" She asked while striding into the kitchen and glancing through each cabinet, observing what she had to work with.

"Miso soup!" Came the enthusiastic response. Nina certainly wasn't too fond of cooking nor was she particularly talented at doing so, but she could give it a shot. How hard can it be?

"Granny Mito's is better." Tsunade stated bluntly upon tasting the soup.

Nina chuckled, 'Harder than I thought.'

After another day with the peppy Senju left Nina drained by dinnertime.

"Your father should be back soon." She said while watching the child was scarfing down a bowl of rice. At this, the front door squeaked open and a man stepped in. Nina could definitely see some resemblance to Hashirama.

"Hello Nina-san, I'm more than grateful that you have taken time from your schedule to take care of my daughter, I apologize for my mother's absence, I'm sure you know she has important business to attend to." The man bowed slightly, Nina returned the gesture.

"It's no trouble, I'm glad I could help." She replied. "I should be on my way now, take care."

* * *

As Nina walked away from the Senju compound, she began thinking; Mito was so young but was already a grandmother and Tobirama had a grandniece. Both of them had lived such short lives compared to herself.

'Yet what do I have?'

She pondered for a long minute, then chuckled at the answer that came to mind.

'I guess I have time.'


	13. The New Era

The years passed quickly and things had changed greatly. Tobirama had become widely accepted as the most powerful shinobi in the village, Hiruzen had grown to be a powerful young shinobi, the village had grown even stronger, and everyone had become more comfortable with everyone else, meaning less conflict between clans.

Not everything was good, however. A war was gaining strength and hidden villages were growing hostile against each other. There had recently been an attack on Konoha, luckily, only a few were injured. This did mean, however, that no one was safe, not even inside the village. Nina had been denied of her request leave the village to fight, Tobirama had refused each time she asked.

"Remember what you're here to do." He would always tell her.

That was part of the reason she was so incredibly upset when she saw his team return from their latest mission.

Without him.

Hiruzen, who had grown close to her, had explained everything. He was every bit as upset as she. The boy had her pity, after all, he wasn't even an adult yet.

In accordance with Tobirama's wishes, Hiruzen was named the Hokage soon after. He would come to Nina's office nearly every day in search of advice on one subject or another. She helped as best she could, giving him her thoughts on what would be best.

One day, she realized something that caused her to drop everything she was doing.

She realized that everyone was growing up, everyone was moving on. If someone was to notice that she had not aged at all, had not changed at all, suspicion would undoubtedly arise. She had to do something, so she went and spoke with the one person left alive who knew her story.

"What do you mean?" Mito demanded, her face was painted with worry. "Leaving the village?"

"You can tell that I have not aged. Everyone can see that. If someone were to dig further into why that is..." The image of that Adachi girl stuck in her mind. "Things won't be good." Nina stated grimly.

"But you're one of the last shinobi left who helped found this village! Suddenly leaving will damage the morale of the council and elders, not to mention you're the one who handles most of the inner and outer village affairs." The Uzumaki tried to reason with her.

"Mito." Nina stared straight at her, gaze sharp and piercing. "I cannot stay." She said simply.

The redhead closed her eyes and leaned back in her chair.

"When?" She asked solemnly.

"Tomorrow. I have a few things to sort out before then. And you'll be fine, there are others who are more than capable of doing the things I have, the village is in good hands. Besides, I'll always be close." Nina smiled and gave her one last nod before turning towards the door.

"Where are you going?" A small, sweet voice asked quietly.

Tsunade.

She's grown in the past few years.

"Nina-san will be going away for a while." Mito explained, kneeling next to the girl.

Nina had been asked to babysit her quite a few times and she had grown to like the child.

"When is she coming back?" The girl asked, causing Mito to hesitate.

"I'll be gone for a little bit, but don't worry, we'll meet again." Nina bent down to her level and patted her on the head.

The blonde grinned brightly and held out the small book in her hands.

"Don't forget about me!" She demanded. "I'll let you borrow this until we can play again."

Nina looked down at the cover; the picture book about Hashirama. She accepted it with a smile.

"Thank you." She stood and turned back towards the door. "I'll see you both later." She smiled back at both Tsunade and Mito. The latter held a saddened expression while the blonde waved enthusiastically.

"Come back soon, ok?" The child yelled, waving her hand back and forth.

Nina waved as she closed the door to the Senju's house, picture book in hand.

* * *

Nina held three bouquets of flowers in her arms, the sun almost down the horizon behind her. She scanned the rows of headstones before her eyes landed on one particular one. She approached it, laying one of the bouquets at the base of the weathered stone. Kneeling in front of it, she closed her eyes, smiling sadly to herself.

"You were a good man, Hashirama. The village couldn't have asked for better." She whispered to the silent earth.

She then glanced at the stone next to it, also laying a bouquet down.

"You were always a prick, Tobirama, but you were the greatest friend I've had in many years." She murmured.

After whispering a prayer for her fallen comrades, she stood and walked silently out of the graveyard.

All the way across the village, she kneeled in front of another grave, gripping the flowers tightly.

"... I don't know what to think of you..."

_"My clan has been pestering me about marriage." Madara sighed; it had been a long day for him. "Something about heirs and a secure future."_

_Nina listened to his complaints patiently._

_"They're right, you know. Having heirs to ensure the clan's stability is an important part of being a leader." She commented, receiving no particular reaction from the man._

_"Unfortunately there is no one suitable." He stated._

_"Lower your expectations, find a nice girl from your clan and, if she's willing, there you go." Nina knew it was his clan's desire for him to keep the bloodline pure. She would have though a person like Madara would have more than a few women chasing after him._

_"As if it was so easy." He shook his head. "Though there is a person who may be eligible."_

_"Eligible?" Nina raised an eyebrow._

_"What would you say if I asked you to be my wife?"_

_A long silence came between the two._

_"I would ask you exactly when you had lost your mind."_

_Madara smirked at her words._

_"A man would be insane to court you." He stated mockingly._

_"I'm hurt."_

_The conversation was quickly forgotten as two continued to discuss more pressing subjects._

"You weren't a bad person." Nina said quietly, as if the grave could hear her. "You deserved to know the truth." She ran her fingers over the blank stone face, gave it one last look, then stood and disappeared. The only thing indicating that anyone had been here was the batch of flowers lying at the stone's base.

* * *

Hiruzen sighed as he dragged himself up the stairs, a thick stack of papers in hand.

"Nina could you help m-" He stopped himself when he saw the empty office. Confused, he looked back at the door plaque: 'Office 50'. This was indeed Nina's office... but where was everything? He looked around the room: the desk was empty, the books and papers were gone, and more importantly, Nina was nowhere to be seen. He frantically searched for anything that could indicate where she went, pausing when he saw a small piece of paper on the otherwise empty chair.

'I was never part of the village's founding. You do not know anyone by my name. I do not exist.

Remember these rules and we will stay in touch.'

The words sent him headfirst into a state of panic.

"What?!" He stared at Mito incredulously.

"I don't know where she went." She said. It wasn't a lie, Nina had never told her where she was going.

"But why would she just leave?!" He asked loudly, causing a few passersbyers to turn their heads.

"Hiruzen, I don't know why she left or where she is, but she'll probably be back in a few days." Mito lied smoothly. "Besides she did say she would keep in contact, right?"

And it was true, two weeks into the woman's absence, Hiruzen received an unfamiliar pigeon at his window, a note strapped to its leg.

'I know you must be confused, but understand that this is for the best. If you ever need anything, just write.'

Was the short message. Out of the millions of questions swirling in his mind, Hiruzen decided to ask the most important one.

'Are you crazy? Why did you leave? The village needs your support. And where did you run off to?'

He quickly tied the letter to the bird and sent it off, wishing he could speak to her in person and find out what was happening.

* * *

The bloody war finally came to a close after three more years, in that time, the village had all but forgotten about Nina. The few people who had known her personally, however, had still not given up hope. The anbu, who had been fully loyal to Nina after the death of Tobirama, still occasionally received special orders from her through the Hokage, they had been specifically told not to search for her, as it was "in everyone's interest" that she not be found. The captains of each squad remained loyal, as did most of the other members.

Nina and Hiruzen communicated relatively often throughout the years, pigeons would be sent from the Hokage Tower and would usually be back with a reply in two weeks. From that timespan, Hiruzen had estimated Nina's position to be a good ways away from the village and had eventually stopped looking for her. Sarutobi, now a young man now, led the village with full support of the elders, council, as well as the villagers, something that surely meant a long era of peace, just as everyone hoped for.

'Very good, I see the village is in good condition as of yet, keep me updated on the situation with the Land of Water.'

Hiruzen read the words from the rolled up note, the carrier pigeon perched on the window next to him. He sighed picking up a piece of paper and a brush.

'Nothing more has happened with the Land of Water yet, they seem to be calculating their next move. I'll be sure to increase boarder security. The Uchiha police force are doing well in inner-village patrol, they've grown in numbers recently so we have more people to work with.'

He rolled the paper up, about to tie it to the bird's leg when he paused. He unrolled the paper and again picked up the brush.

'How have you been doing? Are you well?'

He added to the message before sending it off.

He slumped in his chair, deep in thought, every question from where she was to why she was hiding ran through his mind. He still didn't understand why she had left, nor had she ever answered him when he asked. He did keep his promise of never bringing her up or mentioning her to anyone. Well, anyone other than Mito, but she seemed to have already known about her departure. Nina also kept her promise of staying in touch with him, she had also made him promise that only the person he chose to be the next Hokage would be told of her existence, however, they must only be told right before when they were named Hokage, never sooner.

And so the years passed.

* * *

"Minato, I have something I need to speak to you about." An aged Sarutobi blew a cloud of smoke.

The young man standing before him wore a dark green vest and had a mess of bright blonde hair.

"What is it, Hokage-sama?" The man questioned.

Sarutobi took another drag of his pipe before setting it down.

"I'm thinking of retiring. I need someone to take my place." He stated, voice thin with age. "I proposed to the Elders that you become the next Hokage."

Minato stood still, shocked. A wide smile spread across his face when he finally snapped out of his daze.

"It would be an honor!" He blurted excitedly.

"So you accept my request?" Sarutobi asked. "Very well, in that case, I have something to show you."

He stood up and walked down the hallway, motioning for Minato to follow. He walked down to the end of a hall, turned to the last door to the right, formed the rabbit seal, and pressed his hand on the wall. A creak was heard as the wooden door squeaked open. Sarutobi pushed passed the door, Minato following close behind. The younger man was curious as to the contents of the strange room as he had never been in there before nor had he ever seen anyone else enter.

He was surprised to say the least.

Rows upon rows of small paper slips stacked all the way to the ceiling. They ranged from relatively new to at least half a century old, he examined the dates with wonder, careful not to damage the fragile paper.

"What are these?" He asked after a moment.

Sarutobi cracked a smile, nostalgia rushing over him.

"Letters. From an old friend of mine." He stated simply, prompting even more questions to flood Minato's thoughts.

"Who is he?" The man asked eagerly.

"She." The older man corrected. "She helped Senju Hashirama found this village, she was a friend to both him and Senju Tobirama."

He began to tell the tale of the hand she played in the history of the village, including all the events leading up to her disappearance.

"Amazing..." Minato mumbled, eyes shining with wonder. "But why did she leave?"

"That..." Hiruzen started. "I do not know. However, I trust that she had her reasons." He let out a long sigh. "Impressive, really, how she's still alive. It's been so many years."

"Will I be communicating with her? What do I ask? What if she thinks I'm not good enough to be Hokage?" Minato began thinking aloud.

"You are to update her on the condition of the village, any issues, and ask her if you need advice. She seems to have knowledge on just about everything." Sarutobi chuckled, remembering the time she had given him a rather impressive answer when he asked about what he should do to get his nephew to eat vegetables. "And she is one of the kindest people I've seen in my days, don't worry about that."

"Amazing." Minato grinned excitedly. "When can I start speaking to her?"

"I suppose now is as good a time as any." Sarutobi smiled, handing the young man a piece of paper and a brush.

Minato sat in his office, deep in thought, one hand gripped his brush while the other rested under his chin, he contemplated what he should write; he would need to make a good first impression, especially since it was someone that the Hokage himself respected so much. He recalled one detail the Third had told him that he found strange; 'You must never tell anyone else about her.' Sarutobi had whispered to him, almost as if he was afraid that someone else would hear.

He slowly dipped the brush in ink as he finally decided what he wanted to say.

For the following weeks, Sarutobi had been busy training Minato on all the things a Hokage was expected to do, from handling treaties to managing inter-clan conflicts, Minato was anyways exhausted by the end of the day. On one night, the future Hokage stepped into the Third's office, expecting another lecture on one subject or another, however, when he saw the unfamiliar birds perched on the window frame, he began to wonder if the old man had something else to talk about.

"She's responded." Sarutobi looked up from his paperwork, handing him a single piece of parchment.

Minato's eyes lit up and all the tiredness was instantly banished.

"Really?!" He quickly unfolded the letter and read every word with excitement.

'Pleased to meet you, Minato. Quite the letter you've written. Just to be clear, I would prefer future messages to be slightly shorter. The pigeon was barely able to make it.'

He scratched his neck upon reading the words, maybe five pages was a bit too much.

'You must be an admirable shinobi, I would like to meet you in person but I'm sure you know that's not possible. Anyways, I congratulate you on being chosen as the next Hokage, I'm sure you'll be a good leader. Sarutobi told me about your passion for collecting books, I have sent you a congratulatory gift. I look forward to hearing great things from you.'

Minato finished the letter with the brightest smile.

"She sounds so nice!" He exclaimed, earning a chuckle from the old man.

The Third lifted a well-aged book from his desk.

"This came by hawk, along with the pigeon."

Minato slowly took the book from his hands, finding it surprisingly heavy. Carefully, he examined the dark oak cover. 'The Ōtsutsuki Clan' was carved on the surface in intricate lettering. He skimmed the contents, seeing many words he did not recognize as well as information he'd never heard.

"Ōtsutsuki?" He tilted his head. "I didn't know there were any original documents from them. This must be priceless..." He muttered in awe.

"Her resources must be quite numerous." Sarutobi laughed, "I don't know how old that is, but it seems like it's been around a lot longer than us. I suggest you take care of it."

"Of course!" Minato exclaimed, carefully holding the book in his arms. "Anyways, I'd like to write to her again and thank her." Sarutobi nodded.

"Once you're Hokage, she'll be expecting you to respond as soon as you receive her letter." He leaned forward to rest his elbows in the desk. "Which reminds me, the inauguration ceremony will be in one week, I will make sure you know about everything you need by then."

"Thank you, Hokage-sama."

"No need for thanks, I'll see you tomorrow, Minato."

"Goodnight, sir."

The two said their goodbyes and each headed to their own homes.

* * *

The night was still, the only sound was the rustling of trees and the whistles of the wind. The moon beamed down on the resting village.

It all seemed so perfect.

* * *

"What is it, Obito?" Sarutobi sighed at the boy who had barged into his office, both his teammates at his heels.

"Whose house is it?"Obito demanded loudly.

"What house?" The Third asked calmly, blowing out a cloud of smoke.

"That house at the edge of the village! Really close to the boarder, old looking." The boy explained.

"I don't know what you mean." The Hokage sighed at his antics.

"It's a witch's house, isn't it? I knew it! See Kakashi? I told you a witch lived there! No one ever goes near that palceand no one never leaves or enters it but I've seen smoke coming from the chimney!"

"Obito, there's no such thing as witches." The silver haired boy, Kakashi, reminded him halfheartedly.

"Well whoever it is definitely isn't normal!" Obito countered, turning to the old man. "Can we go explore it?" He begged.

"That would be intruding on someone's property. It's rare to have a single-standing house in this village. Whoever lives there must desire privacy, meaning no children messing around on their property."

"Awww..." Obito slouched as the teammates dragged him out of the Hokage Tower.

"Obito-san, I'm sure it's just someone who wants peace and quiet and just doesn't come out much." The brunette girl reasoned.

"Besides, it could be someone crazy, never coming out of the house. Just forget it." Kakashi stated as the three approached their usual training ground.

"But I wanted to know what kind of crazy they were!" Obito complained.

"Well of you really want to know, we can just take a look around there." A voice behind them said.

"Sensei!" Rin jumped, startled.

"You're saying we should trespass?" Kakashi raised an eyebrow at his mentor. "Are you sure that's ok?"

"Probably not, but I've been wondering about that house for a while now. It's around since I was a kid and no one I've asked knows who owns the place." Minato explained, receiving doubtful looks from two of his students.

"Yes! You're the best, sensei!" Obito exclaimed, jumping up and down. "We'll go tonight!"


	14. The Woman

A figure crept silently across the village, ducking under branches and jumping over fences, they made their way to the training ground where three other figures stood.

"Finally, Kakashi's here." Obito whispered.

"Alright, let's go."

The four shadows zipped across the field towards the village boarder. They stopped when the saw the lone house standing in the distance.

"What should we do?" Rin asked quietly, still not completely on board with the idea of sneaking around on someone's property.

"Well we gotta get closer." Obito responded with excitement. "The windows are pretty small though, and high too..."

A minute later, Obito sat on Kakashi's shoulders, both of them leaning against the outside of the wooden wall.

"Can you see anything?" Kakashi asked sharply. "Stop moving!"

Obito adjusted his goggles and whispered an apology.

"It's totally dark in there." He shook his head in disappointment.

A soft creaking noise caused all four of the shinobi to turn their heads, their hearts stopped upon seeing what had caused it.

The door to the house was slightly ajar and someone was peeking half their head out from behind it, their face completely shrouded in darkness. Completely, except for the one glowing red eye.

The team took no time in bolting away at full speed.

The figure watched the retreating forms of the intruders for a long moment then slowly disappeared behind the wooden door, giving a small thump as it shut.

"Why... did we... agree to do that again?" Kakashi muttered between breaths.

The squad of four were all huffing and puffing by the time they made it back to the training grounds, Obito, however, was not only out of breath but also shaking.

"That was scary..." He made an exaggerated shivering motion.

"Whose idea was it?" Kakashi retorted sharply.

"Guys, it's ok, no one got hurt. Now, do we all agree to never go near that place again?" Minato asked.

"Yes!" The three students nodded in unison.

"Alright. Go home and get some rest, and remember, nothing happened tonight."

* * *

The weeks had passed and Minato was officially named Hokage. He, however, did not inherit the title at a good time, there was a rumor going around, one that said Konoha was on the brink of war once again. Officials were doing their best to put down these rumors and ensure the public that all foreign relations were good, however, they could not convince themselves that the threats from Iwagakure held no water.

Minato was sitting in his office, brows furrowed in concentration as he tried to think of ways to get the village out of this rising war. A tapping at his window pulled him from his trance. A small pigeon pecked at the glass, asking to be let in, and upon closer inspection, a rolled up piece of paper was tied to its leg with a white string. Immediately opening the window, Minato pulled the paper from the bird and began reading it eagerly.

'I see the situation is getting severe, Iwagakure's threats cannot be dismissed, you must take action soon. I don't believe conflict can be avoided, but it can be contained.'

The rest of the message contained battle tactics and formations that caused Minato's eyes to gleam with every word. It was at times like these that he truly appreciated being able to consult someone with so much experience.

'Your ideas are genius! I can see why Sarutobi-san respected you so much. I will try to get as much done as possible and keep the body count as low as possible. I realize this is quite the favor to ask, but I think meeting in person would be much more efficient. Please consider my request and thank you again.'

Minato sent the letter off, though he was unsure if he should have asked to meet, after all, she wouldn't have hidden herself for so many years for no reason. He rubbed his temples as he tried to refocus on the problem at hand: how to get out of the war quickly.

* * *

A figure walked gracefully through the village, moving swiftly past the crowds and buildings, clearly with a destination in mind. Long white hair waved behind her as her eyes landed on the bright red roof tiles of the Hokage Tower. Her clothes seemed slightly odd, but not so much so that it drew attention, the kimono she wore was slightly too formal and seemed a little old fashion.

"Stop."

She was halted by the guards at the base of the tower.

"What is your business here?" One of them asked gruffly.

"A message." Came the strangely chilling voice. "Tell Minato-san that  _she_  has sent me with a message." The woman stated, voice smooth and modulated.

The taller of the two guards narrowed hiss eyes at her before entering the tower, reemerging just a few moments later.

"You may enter." He stated with a nod.

The woman brushed past the two and made her way up the stairs. She walked without hesitation, as if she knew the building well.

At the top of the stairs, a plaque engraved with the word "Hokage" marked her destination. Knocking twice, she opened the door after hearing a 'come in'.

Minato looked up from his desk, smiling politely upon seeing the unfamiliar face.

"How may I help you?" He asked, setting down his pen.

"You are the Hokage? Nina has asked me to bring you this letter. She has also entrusted me to discuss war tactics with you in her place." She stated.

"Really?! Wonderful!" He smiled wider. "If you don't mind me asking, how do you know Nina?" Minato inquired.

"I've known her since I was born." The woman responded briefly. "Anyways, should be begin? There are many things we need to talk about."

"Of course, please have a seat."

The sun had set and the two were still deep in conversation, both sides would suggest ideas and the other would consider the outcomes, agreeing or dismissing the suggestion. They had nearly concluded their planning when loud crashes were heard from just downstairs. Stomping, followed by a series of shouts, made way up the stairs, and next thing they knew, the office door had burst open and a fuming redhead stood in the doorway, multiple guards running to catch up.

"MINATO YOU FORGOT TO PICK UP THE CRIB!" The woman yelled, her actions unhindered by the large bulge of her stomach.

"Oh, did I? I'm sorry dear!" He sweat dropped nervously.

She pulled out a pan from seemingly nowhere and hit him over the head with unexpected force. After a long session of yelling, her rage soon boiled down and only then did she notice the other person in the room.

"Hello, I didn't realize Minato was in a meeting." The woman smiled sweetly, extending her hand. "My name is Kushina, I'm Minato's wife." She introduced.

The white haired woman shook her hand, also offering a smile.

"Pleased to meet you. I'm afraid I cannot reveal my name, confidentiality, you see." She said.

"Don't worry about it, I know it's dangerous for diplomats to have people knowing their identities." She waved it off understandingly.

"You... are an Uzumaki, yes?" The white haired woman asked.

Kushina seemed surprised.

"I am, how did you know?" She asked curiously.

The other woman only smiled.

"I knew an Uzumaki once, you two bear quite the resemblance." She explained, standing up. "Anyways, I should be on my way. I appreciate your hospitality, Hokage-sama." With a quick bow to both Minato and Kushina, she turned and left the room.

Heading towards the Hokage Tower to take care of some business, Sarutobi was turning a corner and nearly bumped into someone.

"I'm sorry, I didn't see you there, dear." He said to the young woman in front of him, she bowed slightly to him.

"Pardon me, I wasn't paying attention." She apologized, stepping to the side and walking passed the old man. He smiled lightly then continued on his way to the tower.

'Do I know her?' He pondered to himself, he was almost sure that he's seen her somewhere before...

"Sarutobi-san, good evening." Kushina greeted cheerfully.

"Oh, I didn't know you were visiting Minato today." He smiled warmly. "How's the baby?"

Kushina put a hand to the large bump.

"Due any day now!" She smiled excitedly. "Minato and I want to name him Naruto, what do you think?" She asked, eyes gleaming proudly.

"Interesting name, I believe it will fit your son well." He chuckled, earning a smile from the redhead.

"I think so too. Well, I should be going now, have a good night." She smiled and left the tower.

* * *

The situation did not get better and, just as Minato had feared, Konoha was soon plunged into all-out war. Minato did not see the woman messenger again, though his communications with Nina continued. She warned of attacks by foreign nations, telling him to take extra precautions in every decision he made, and so he did, though it seems he wasn't careful enough.

An inhuman roar shattered the blanket of silence that lay over the village. The sleeping villagers were now awake and rushing out of their houses to see what was going on.

Away from the compounds, at the edge of the village, a woman stepped out of a small wooden house. She watched as trees collapsed in the distance, a large creature rising from the center of the destruction. She frowned slightly, quickly heading towards the area.

Watching from a low tree, she saw the same redhead from a few weeks ago, she lay on a patch of grass, surrounded by multiple shinobi. She was in labor and the child had not yet been born. She sensed something different about her now... When she had first met the woman, she immediately sensed more than one chakra source inside her. One was hers and one belonged to the baby she was carrying, but there was a third. Whatever creature was sealed inside her was no longer there.

So that was the thing causing such chaos.

No matter which being was sealed in her, it was surely capable of great destruction.

'Minato must be fighting it.' She thought. An explosion in the distance confirmed her thought.

Rushing towards the direction of the sound, a flash of orange swept across her vision. As she landed near the scene of the battle, her heart twisted as she saw what was happening.

A familiar fox was glaring down at Minato, all around it lay splinters of wood and remnants of buildings. Minato leapt up and sped towards the enormous beast with astounding speed, hands flying through seals all the while. A large cloud of smoke appeared beneath him, soon clearing to reveal a red toad, one that matched the size of the Kyuubi. The fox threw both of them off with its tails and turned to face Minato.

Destruction.

Massive destruction.

Half the village lay in ruin not an hour later.

Minato was preparing his end game.

She watched as he performed the signs for the Death Reaper Seal, an odd symbol appearing on his stomach. The Kyuubi was immediately trapped in chains, it could only watch as the man summoned an altar, preparing to seal him once again. Unexpectedly, he took his newborn son from Kushina and placed the baby the center of the altar. Instinctively, the nine tails thrust a clawed hand at the child in a last attempt to prevent himself from being sealed. Kushina's eyes widened and she threw herself forward to protect her son.

His claw collided with something.

When the small cloud of dust settled, a blood red barrier was surrounding the altar as well as the child, both Minato and Kushina lay on the ground, stunned and confused.

The Kyuubi pulled back its hand, eyes narrowed and ready to face his new opponent. His expression faltered when the barrier faded and he saw who it was.

The person stood up and looked the Kyuubi right in the eyes as he was sealed away into the body of the newborn.

Minato lowered his hands, letting out a long breath after the sealing was finished. In a flash, before the shinigami could seal his soul away, a sword was driven through his heart.

He flinched, a weak smile forming across his lips.

"Thank you." He croaked weakly, smiling at the white haired woman holding the hilt of the sword. "Kushina and I both thank you."

His body collapsed on the ground shortly after. She pulled the sword from his chest and turned to Kushina with an apologetic expression.

"I'm sorry you had to see that." She said apologetically.

The other woman shook her head, tears tailing down her cheeks.

"He won't be trapped by the shinigami, he can pass peacefully now..." She trembled with each word.

Standing up, she stumbled over to the baby who was still peacefully unaware of anything.

"At least Naruto will grow up in an era better than ours... he won't have to know death." She gazed sadly at her son, griping him tighter as her heart ached.

Suddenly she looked back up at the woman.

"Tell me your name." She said with whatever remaining energy she had in her.

There was a short pause before the response.

"Nina." She stated simply. This woman certainly had her pity.

"Nina..." Kushina repeated quietly, only managing to stay conscious for another second. "Thank you."

* * *

The room was white: white lights, white walls, white everything.

"Where am I?" Kushina groaned, wincing at the brightness. Her memories suddenly came back to her. "Where's my son?!" She demanded, looking around wildly.

A nurse ran into the room, beckoning a doctor in as well, the doctor looked at her kindly.

"Don't worry, Miss Uzumaki, your son is just in the next room." He barely got the words out before she jumped off the bed and sped past him.

She looked frantically down both sides of the hospital hall and rushed to the closest room, throwing the door open.

"Naruto!" She cried, running up to the startled baby and hugging him tightly.

The doctor entered the room, smiling sympathetically at the mother and son.

"There doesn't seem to be anything wrong with you, Miss Uzumaki. You were simply in shock after the incident. We should be able to discharge you later today." He said.

Kushina's eyes widened upon realizing something she hadn't considered before.

"How did I get here?" She asked, picking up the baby who began giggled and began playing with her hair.

"Someone brought you here, I'm not sure who she was, exactly. I haven't seen her before. She carried you and your son to the nurses and disappeared before we could ask her anything." He recounted, recalling the woman who seemed oddly calm considering the situation.

"Did she have white hair?" Kushina asked, already knowing the answer,.

"She did." The doctor nodded. "I'll go alert the Third that you're awake, excuse me." He bowed and left the room, leaving Kushina with her now crying son. She quickly stood and rocked him back and forth, pacing around the room as she attempted to quiet him.

"Shhh... it's ok, Naruto, don't cry. Its ok... Everything's going to be ok..."

* * *

"Mom!" A child with vibrant blonde hair ran up the stairs of his house.

Kushina peeked her head out of the bathroom where she was drying her hair.

"Yes, dear?" She answered.

"It's almost my birthday!" He shouted excitedly, holding up five fingers to show her how old he would soon be. "Can I invite my friends?" He asked.

Kushina chuckled.

"Of course. Who do you have in mind?"

Naruto thought for a moment, thinking about who he wanted to come to his birthday party.

"Kei, Sakura, Kenta, Yato, Emi, aaaand..." He pondered his last choice. "Sasuke!" He decided finally.

"Sure. I'll come with you to invite them, just give me a moment."

Ten minutes later, Kushina and Naruto walked hand-in-hand down the street, headed to each invitee's houses. The first, closest, stop was the pink haired girl Sakura. After confirming that she would be there, the two happily continued to the other friends' houses.

"I'm hungry!" Naruto declared loudly when they had finished inviting all his friends. "Can we go get ramen?" He asked, eyes shining at the thought of his favorite food.

"Sure. Let's go."

Naruto cheered as he began running towards the ramen shop, his mother chasing behind, both of them laughing joyfully.

"Oof!" Naruto ran full force into somebody, causing him to fall back.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Are you ok?" The person knelt down and helped him up.

"I'm ok, thanks." Naruto rubbed his back. "I'm sorry, miss." He bowed low, knowing he should have been paying more attention to where he was going.

"It's alright, don't worry about it." The person smiled. Only then did Naruto notice the long white strands of hair visible from beneath the stranger's cloak.

"Whoa! Your hair's whiter than old man Sarutobi's!" He stared in wonder as the person chuckled, pushing back their hood show more of the pure white hair.

"Is it?"

"Cool!" He exclaimed.

"Naruto! Oh, who's this?" Kushina finally caught up to him, she glanced at the woman curiously.

"Mom, look! She has white hair but she's not old!" The boy said excitedly, causing the redhead to sweatdrop.

"I'm sorry about him, he says odd things sometimes." Kushina apologized to the woman.

"He's only a child." The woman waved it off, her hood now back in place.

Kushina couldn't completely see her face, but something about her seemed odd.

"Miss, what's your name?" Naruto asked suddenly.

"I'm sorry, I really must be going now. Please excuse me." She bowed to the pair and quickly disappeared from sight.

Kushina looked at her son who was staring blankly at where the woman last stood.

"What's wrong, dear?" She asked, picking up the child.

"Ka-san, she looks familiar..." He trailed. "Let's go get ramen!" He instantly returned to his cheerful self.

Kushina laughed at her son's behavior and the two walked the rest of the way to the ramen shop.

Something bothered her though... she felt like she knew that woman too.

But how?


	15. The Training

"Stupid Sasuke..." Naruto mumbled angrily, slamming the door shut. He kicked off his shoes and dropped his schoolbag on a chair, diving into the nearest couch. "Thinks he's better than everyone..." He huffed.

"What's wrong?" Kushina came down the stairs upon hearing the front door slam.

"Nothing." Naruto sulked, lying face down on the couch.

"Is it Sasuke again?" She sighed, moving to sit next to him. "Honey, you can't keep comparing yourself to him, remember he's enrolled in the ninja academy."

"I wanna go there too!" He complained. "Why won't you let me?" Kushina's eyes lowered to the floor.

"I need to keep you safe." She whispered, taking a deep breath. "I couldn't protect your father, I wouldn't be able to live with myself if something happened to you."

"Ka-san, I know you miss Tou-san, but I want to be as awesome of a ninja as he was!" Naruto pleaded, eyes wide with hope.

"No." Kushina's expression hardened. "It's for your own good." She stated firmly, standing up suddenly and leaving the room. Naruto sighed, he knew his mother wasn't going to give in. He desperately wanted to become a ninja to help other people, but if she wouldn't let him train at the academy, there was no way he could. He's even asked some older ninja to teach him but they had all refused, the whole village knew that Kushina would go on a rampage if she found out that her son was learning such 'dangerous' skills.

"At this rate I'll never beat Sasuke at anything..." He sighed.

Naruto strolled down the streets of the busy marketplace, deciding to head for some ramen, that anyways cheered him up. The small restaurant was empty, and after greeting the owner, he took a seat and waited eagerly for his snack. Someone else entered the shop, Naruto glanced over and assumed the person was a traveler, their black cloak swished behind them, faded with age. He knew it was a woman, as their frame gave it away. He was curious about places outside of Konoha, he's always dreamed of being able to travel across the Land of Fire and maybe even to the other nations, because of this, the eight year old decided to try and start a conversation.

"Excuse me, miss, but are you a traveler?" He asked just to make sure. The woman turned her head slightly, as if surprised that he was speaking to her.

"I suppose you could say so." She responded, voice smooth and light.

"Where do you come from? Are you from somewhere else in the Land of Fire?" He questioned excitedly.

"Indeed, I do live in the Land of Fire." The woman nodded. He noticed her speech was a little... old fashioned.

"Is this your first time in Konoha? Where else have you visited? What's the coolest place you've been?" Streams of questions flowed from the boy's mouth, though she didn't seem fazed.

"No, I've been here a few times before, I've seen many nations and many people. As to which was the most interesting, I cannot say, they are all very different." The answers came just as naturally as the questions had.

"Cool!" Naruto smiled, continuing to ask about other places and customs, the woman answered patiently, going into detail when he requested it. The two talked for a few hours, and by the end, Naruto felt like they were almost friends.

"What made you come to Konoha again?" He asked through a mouthful of noodles.

"Actually, I have been here for a while now, a couple years. I had originally come back in order to help a friend with something, he had insisted it needed my attention."

"Really? Who is it? Maybe I know them."

"He's passed now." Naruto stopped his chewing upon hearing this.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to-"

"It's alright, that was a long time ago." She waved it off and Naruto gave a relieved smile.

"Anyways, I really want to travel the world like you do! I wanna become a ninja and go around helping people!" He exclaimed.

"An admirable dream, but you must understand that there is great risk in such a profession. It won't be easy." She warned. Naruto perked up at this.

"Wait, are you a ninja?" He asked, eyes wide with excitement. "You are! Can you please train me? I swear I'll work extra hard do my best! Please?" His hand clasped together in front of him, his eyes squeezed shut. The woman was quiet for a while.

"Will you commit to a life of pain?" Naruto's thoughts faltered at the question. "Are you prepared to see your comrades die around you? Are you willing to sacrifice your joy and peace to face the trouble of the world?" She seemed almost angry yet still held an eerie calmness. Naruto was taken aback, his eyes lowered as he considered the questions, doubt evident on his face. The woman closed her eyes and stood up from her stool. "Then you are not ready to be a shinobi." She lifted the cloth that hung at the entrance of the restaurant and ducked out.

"Wait!" She was a distance away when a voice called out from behind her. A few people on the streets turned their heads to see what was going on. She turned around as well, seeing Naruto standing right outside the ramen shop. "I'll do whatever it takes! I'll become the best ninja!" He declared, a fist over his heart. "Believe it!" She closed her eyes and smirked.

"Come. We'll start right now."

* * *

The two stood at the center of a secluded training field, it was rarely used as it was very close to edge of the village and surrounded by overgrown trees.

"The first thing you will learn is taijutsu, but even before that, you must learn to gain full control of your movements as well as your breathing. Understood?" She asked. Naruto gave an enthusiastic nod.

"Understood!" He shouted.

"Good. Thirty laps around this field." She commanded, seeing his mouth drop open.

"What?!" He looked around the field, it was no less than a hundred feet across. Despite this, he remembered the commitment he had made earlier and let out a sigh. "Alright!" He said to himself, taking off and beginning to make his way around the field.

Almost an hour had passed and Naruto was about to collapse, he had only completed twenty laps and was barely able to keep moving. The woman sat at the center of the field, legs crossed and eyes closed. Having been listening to the heavy panting for the last hour, she recognized that the boy was not going to last much longer. She hadn't expected him to finish the laps.

"Stop." Naruto barely heard the words as he halted his running, doubling over to try to catch his breath. "Come here." She called to him. He slowly made his way over, stumbling from tired out muscles, and collapsed on the warm grass.

"Almost..." He said from between breaths, managing to crack a smile. "I'll be able to do it next time... no problem!" He declared, giving her a thumbs up. She merely sighed at this and stood up from her spot on the grass.

"Go home and rest. Meet me here by eight tomorrow." She stated. "You may want to think of an excuse to tell your mother." She commented before disappearing. Naruto's eyes widened as he quickly sat up, whipping his head around to see where she had gone.

"Cool!" He exclaimed, smiling to himself. Suddenly, he remembered something, falling back onto the grass. 'I forgot to ask her name...'

An hour later, after he felt like he had the energy to walk home, he opened the door to his home and started up the stairs to his room.

"Naruto!" A voice from behind him made him pause and turn around. "Where have you been?" Kushina asked, a hand on her hip. "And why are your clothes dirty?" He scratched the back of his head.

"Kei and Ineichi wanted me to play ninja with them, we were in one of the big training fields. We fell a few times..." He had taken the advice and thought of an excuse, and since Kei and Ineichi were both not attending the academy, they were the perfect cover. Kushina frowned at the words.

"Didn't I tell you not to be messing around in places where shinobi could be training?" She crossed her arms, causing Naruto to sweatdrop.

"Eh... sorry..." He cracked an embarrassed smile. Kushina sighed, seeming to have already forgiven him.

"Get yourself cleaned up." She said simply, turning to go back into the living room. Naruto quickly raced up the stairs and into the bathroom.

After having taken a quick shower, he plopped down on his bed and instantly felt drowsy, he soon drifted off into a dream where he was being declared Hokage, one that he's definitely had more than once.

* * *

"You're on time, very good." The same woman from the day before, still wearing a black traveler's cloak, stood at the center of the field. Naruto had woken up with aching muscles and sore limbs, though he would not let them get in the way of his training.

"Yup! I'm ready to complete the laps!" He smiled enthusiastically. "Oh, by the way, I forgot to ask your name." He noticed there was a pause before her response.

"My name is Nina, don't concern yourself with my surname." She stated. Naruto nodded at the answer.

"Alright, Nina-sensei! What are you teaching me today?" Nina blinked upon hearing the word 'sensei'. Never in all her years had that word ever been directed at her. She quickly shook off the surprise to make sure she didn't raise any suspicion.

"You will not be learning anything until you have stretched your endurance to its limit, you will continue to run laps today. Thirty laps, go." She said. He sighed and began running, thinking of all the pain he would be in afterwards.

* * *

Naruto lay in the grass over an hour later, panting harder than he ever had before.

"I... ca...can't..." He struggled to make coherent words.

"Don't dwell on it. Soon you will be able to do it easily. Catch your breath and try again." Nina said. The boy nodded and lay on the soft grass, trying to steady his breathing.

Five minutes later, he was up and running again.

"I'll do it this time!" He repeated to himself, even as he grew out of breath again. Nine more times he had attempted, and failed, to complete the thirty laps. Each time he had fallen from exhaustion, he would get up and tried again. Nina was tempted to stop him, knowing that this sudden stress on his body would only cause more aching later on, but after seeing his determination to complete that task, she realized that he wouldn't be stopped until he had competed it.

'Tough kid.' She thought with an approving nod. 'He has potential.'

* * *

A few days passed, Naruto was still unable to run thirty laps around the field but he had yet to give up on it. He would always tell his mother that he was out doing something with one of his friends, and it was working just fine, Kushina didn't seem to suspect a thing.

"Again, you were close." Nina commented, sitting on the grass with a tired out Naruto in front of her.

"Yea... I... I'll get it next time... I know it!" He panted for air. "You'll teach me... new stuff afterwards... right?" He managed to ask. Nina looked at him with slight pity.

'Do you know what it really means to be a shinobi?'

"Indeed." She responded simply. A smile immediately spread across the boy's face.

"Right!" He jumped onto his feet, seeming to have been instantly refreshed. "I can do it!" He took off once more, again attempting to finish the thirty laps.

Ten minutes later, he lay on the ground in defeat.

* * *

"Sasuke!" Naruto ran up to the raven haired boy who had just emerged from the academy building. "What's up?" He asked energetically.

"What do you want, loser?" Sasuke frowned. "Still trying to convince your mom to enroll you?" He teased, knowing that was the one thing that bothered Naruto most, but for some reason, the blonde wasn't fazed this time.

"I don't need to enroll in the academy, I'm going to become the best ninja anyways!" He bragged proudly. Sasuke raised an eyebrow questioningly.

"Really. And you do you plan to do that?" Naruto only smiled at his question, lowering his voice to a whisper.

"Promise not to tell anyone?" He asked lowly. Sasuke have him a funny look but nodded anyways. "I found a sensei to teach me!" He whispered proudly.

"What? Your mom allowed that?" Sasuke whispered back.

"Nope, she doesn't know. And you promised you wouldn't tell!" Naruto reminded him sharply.

"Yea, yea. Whatever." Sasuke puffed, crossing his arms. "He probably isn't even strong." He stated. Naruto was about to correct him when someone called out from behind them.

"Sasuke!" The two turned around to see a boy, much older than themselves, walking towards them.

"Nii-san!" Sasuke smiled and gave the person a hug when he had reached them.

"Hi Itachi-san." Naruto greeted cheerfully.

"How are you, Naruto?" The older boy, Itachi, asked with a wave. "Sorry to interrupt your conversation, but Ka-san asked me to pick up Sasuke today, she has something to talk to the Third about." He explained.

"It's fine! I need to go too, see you!" Naruto gave a quick bow and ran off, disappearing behind a line of trees.

"Sensei! That's my friend! He's the one I told you about, the one who always thinks he's better than me!" Naruto ran to the place Nina stood.

"Uchiha, yes? Quite the bunch, that clan." She mused.

"Yup! All of them are known for being super powerful with fire jutsus, plus they run the police force." Naruto nodded. "I told you, I want to be able to beat him in a fight one day!"

"I understand, but why did you ask me to hide here and watch your conversation?" Nina asked. Naruto scratched his neck.

"Well... I kinda wanted to know how powerful he really is. You can do that, right? See how strong someone is by looking at them?" He asked, eyes gleaming with anticipation.

"Do not worry about what your allies can do or how powerful they are, focus on your own abilities first, then you will be in a place where you may compare." She stated with a poetic tone.

"Fine." The boy sighed. "Let's get back to training! I know I can finish it this time!" He began running towards the training field, ready to see the day where he could beat Sasuke.

Nina looked at the energetic boy, she let out a slow breath and started following behind him.

'May the day never come in which your ambition runs out.'

* * *

"Don't give up." Nina said to the boy who was once again lying on the grass, panting for air. "You were close." She encouraged.

"Yea... I... I can do it!" Naruto puffed out, standing up slowly and beginning his fourth attempt of the day.

Yet another failure.

The sun was high above the village now, its light beaming brightly on the people below. Nina stood up from the grass, which was slightly duller than it used to be, and took a deep breath.

"Go take a break." She commanded. Their routine was to train for four hours, take an hour long lunch break, return immediately at 2:00 and train for another three hours.

"Yes ma'am!" Naruto pushed himself off the ground, turning and walking away with tired muscles. He pushed away the low hanging branches and quickly emerged from the mess of untended shrubbery. He glanced back at the training field, even though his vision was obscured with leaves, he could tell that Nina was no longer there. He turned and continued towards the village marketplace, wondering where she would always disappear to during these breaks. Shaking the suspicion from his mind, he focused on finding a particular restaurant; running always left him hungry.

"How are you, Naruto?" The owner of Ichiraku's Ramen greeted the familiar customer.

"Good! And you?" Naruto asked, taking a seat on one of the padded stools.

"Not bad, been busy preparing for the festival lately." The man responded, starting to prepare the boy's ramen.

"Oh! I almost forgot about that, when's the festival again?" Naruto asked, he was never good a remembering dates and times.

"In two days. The blood moon is sure to be beautiful this year." He smiled cheerfully.

"The decorations are really cool too." Already, the village was adorned with black and red ribbons, crescent shaped bouquets, and many other moon themed embellishments. Teuchi placed a steaming bowl of ramen in front of the hungry boy who immediately dug in.

"Pretty exciting, isn't it? I've seen it so many times yet it never fails of amaze me." The man laughed.

"It's always so pretty." A young woman stepped out from the back, carrying a large pot. Naruto recognized her as the owner's daughter. "But I think it's just as odd, too." She set the silver pot down on one of the counters.

"What do you mean?" Naruto asked through a mouthful of noodles.

"Don't you ever wonder how it's possible? I mean why does it look red?" She thought aloud, though the boy didn't seem to hear her words.

"I guess it's a little weird." He agreed halfheartedly.

"Anyways, are you going to the festival?" The owner asked. "I remember Kushina telling me you were sick last time it happened."

"Yup! I couldn't go last time but I'll go this year!" Naruto gave a tooth grin and a thumbs up.

* * *

Once the Naruto had gone back to running laps, he was clearly more energized after the break, though he was still unsuccessful in reaching his goal. He lay on the grass, under the shade of a tree, trying to steady his breathing. Nina sat in her usual place at the center of the field.

"Our training is concluded for today, you may go home and rest." She said, standing up and turning to leave as well.

"Wait!" Naruto called, standing up as well. "I was wondering if you're going to the festival." He did not get a response for a long moment. She turned around with a puzzled expression.

"Festival?" She repeated slowly.

"Yea, it's called the Day of the Blood Moon. It's in two days and the whole village's gonna be there!" Naruto waved his hands in exaggerated motions.

"Well, I will not be able to attend, unfortunately. There's something important I have to do on that day.."

"That's too bad, I'll be sure to tell you all about it!" Naruto grinned.

"I suppose you will. Now go home and rest." She told him. He nodded and they both left the training field, heading in opposite directions.


	16. The Festival

"You were just one lap short." Nina leaned against a tree, watching the boy pant for air.

"Yea... I know... I'll get it next time!" He smiled weakly. Soon after, he was up and running, and soon after that, he was lying on the ground again. She saw that this wasn't going anywhere.

"How would you like a change in scenery?" Nina asked. Barely able to catch his breath, Naruto tried to get his words out.

"Wh... what do... you mean?" He puffed.

"Get up. We're going for a walk." Confused, Naruto pushed himself off the ground and followed the woman out of the field. The two walked in silence for a long while, he noticed that she was avoiding the largely populated areas as well as the commonly used paths. A little odd but he's grown used to it, after all, it's been a while since he's started training indeed her.

Realizing that she's now stopped walking, he stretched his neck out to see what she was looking at. It was... nothing. The only thing he saw was the forest in front of them.

"Why are we here?" He asked, careful as to not sound rude.

"Running laps can get boring, I thought I would give you some encouragement. You will run to the other side of the forest, if you're caught, you must do fifty laps before learning anything."

"WHAT?" Naruto's eyes widened as his jaw hit the ground. "I can't outrun you!" He flailed his arms in desperation.

"You won't be outrunning  _me_ , you'll be outrunning the forest." He thought he heard a deep laughter echo from the trees. "You see, this is a special forest; the trees are alive. One must run with all their might in order to pass these trees or else they will catch you." A mysterious glint shone behind her eyes. "There is one mile between us and the other side of this forest, you may replenish your energy beforehand. Go take a break." She instructed. Naruto was still in shock.

"But..." He trailed off, doubting that he could do it. He tried to think rationally: he knew that this would get him closer to becoming a ninja but also knew that it was almost impossible for him to run such a distance without stopping _. 'I guess I have no choice...'_  He thought with a frown. "Alright!" He exclaimed, balling his hands into fists. "I'll be back in an hour!" He turned on his heels and ran towards the village to get some food. Even though he was dreading the task, he knew that Nina would not have given him a break outside the normal time if she didn't think he needed it.

"How are you Naruto?" Teuchi smiled as the said boy ducked into the small store.

"Great!" He said overenthusiastically. "I'm gonna need your biggest bowl of ramen!" He shouted, slamming a fist down on the counter. "I have a big day ahead of me!" The owner blinked at the boy before smiling once again.

"Coming right up!" He called, turning around and began preparing the food.

Not long after, Naruto had finished his meal and was on his way back to the forest he had been lead to. He saw the outline of the treetops and the fear his him like a truck, his stomach began churning and his heart started pounding, still, he pushed himself forwards.

"It won't be that hard, they're just trees, how fast can they be?" A bead of sweat rolled down his cheek.

"You're back, excellent. I presume you're ready?" Nina asked, standing up. The boy gulped and nodded, walking up to the edge of the forest. He stared into the dark canopy.

Green vines were twisted around sickly branches, dull leaves congregated on the lifeless grass as they watched their living counterparts twitch weakly in the wind. The towering trees glared down at the boy and their branches, gleaming with mischief, seemed to beckon him in. He wiped the sweat from his forehead and squeezed his eyes shut.

"I'm ready." He stated, voice cracking with nervousness.

"Very well. You will start on three."

He took a deep breath.

"One."

He prepared to run.

"Two."

His eyes focused on the darkness of the forest.

"Three."

He launched himself into the shadows, footsteps echoed as leaves were crushed under him. Nina stared at the place where he had disappeared from. The wind whistled, gently dancing with long strands of white.

Furiously sprinting through the forest, weaving between trunks, and ducking under branches, Naruto made sure that he wouldn't stumble and get caught by the trees. His breath began growing faster and heavier, he didn't know how much further the forest would stretch but hoped that he would be able to make it through.

Alive.

The forest flew past his vision, he was focused on the spot right on front of his eyes. Darkness parted for him as he felt the sting in his lungs grow sharper, more painful. His eyes began watering as wind and dust whirled past him.  _'Focus!'_  He silently yelled at himself, rubbing his eyes and trying to gather his thoughts.  _'It must be close now.'_  He kept his mind on reaching the other side of the forest, he convinced himself that it wouldn't be long until be reached it. Ducking under a particularly low branch, Naruto felt like something was wrong. He didn't dare glace behind him for fear of tripping, but he was sure that someone was chasing him _. 'That couldn't be sensei...'_  He thought, knowing that she would be waiting for him at the other side of the forest, not in here with him.

He was in trouble.

This forest was barely on Konoha's boarder and he had never seen anyone go inside, it could have been a rogue ninja or a dangerous animal chasing him _! 'What do I do!?'_  Naruto began panicking, pushing himself forward, refusing to stop even when his legs began burning from pain. As he continued running, the sting was getting unbearable, he couldn't catch his breath and his legs ached terribly but he needed to get out of this damned forest, out and away from whatever was chasing him. He could have sworn that the thing had just brushed his back when a burst of light made him squeeze his eyes shut. He felt the ground beneath him, he squinted and looked back. A small dog lay on his back, happily barking at him. Relieved but still started, he slumped back on the ground and tried to slow his frantic gasping.

"I'm surprised you made it. And in just twenty minutes, too." Naruto watched as Nina walked over to him, kneeling down, she frowned when she saw his arms and legs. "But perhaps you could have been more careful." He looked down at his arms, red lines were littered all over, same with his legs. The scratches must have been from all the stray branches and thorns he passed. He lay still, unable to force himself to get up.

"Did... did I... make it?" He choked out, throat dry from breathing so heavily.

"You did." She replied simply, her hands began glowing a soft blue color as she held them over his cuts. He tried to stay awake even though his mind begged for sleep. His vision began going in and out of focus until everything went black.

_Naruto woke up with a start, as if something had startled him. He looked around, the walls were dark and he could barely make out anything. Sitting up, he noticed that he wasn't sore in the least, also, something swished under him. The ground was covered in what seemed like water, he could head a distant dripping sound as well._

_"Who's there?" He asked warily. A growl echoed through the room._

_"You don't know me? Of course, your mother never did tell you..." A voice that sounded like the rumbling ground boomed from behind him._

_Naruto whipped around, eyes landed on a large metal bar. Following it up, he saw it was part of an enormous cage, at least fifty stories tall._

_"Who are you?" Naruto asked, almost afraid to speak. "Show yourself!" His voice betrayed his words. A low chuckle was heard._

_"Me? I am a monster to be most feared." The unseen creature growled. "We are one and the same." Naruto couldn't find his voice and only stared at the darkness inside the cage. "Do not misunderstand, I am not your ally, I will destroy you one day. Weak, pathetic boy." The voice dripped with the upmost disgust. Suddenly, Naruto felt as if he was being pulled away, next thing he knew, the blue sky was above him._

He looked around and saw Nina sitting next to where he lay, an unreadable expression on her face.

"Sensei?" He was utterly confused. "What happened?" He asked.

"You fell unconscious for a minute there." She stated simply. Unconscious?  _'Right, I just finished racing through the forest...'_  He remembered.

"I did it?" He muttered quietly. "I did it!" He grinned brightly, raising both arms in victory.

"So it seems. Go home and rest now. Save your energy for tomorrow, you will be learning something new." His eyes grew wide as he processed the words.

"Really?!" He exclaimed, jumping onto his feet. "Yes! I won't let you down, sensei! Believe it!" He shouted, turning and running back towards his home.

Once he reached his room, he plopped down on his bed and smiled to himself, unable to stop thinking about what he might learn tomorrow. Even though the sun was still hours away from setting, he quickly drifted into a peaceful sleep. In fact, he fell asleep so quickly that he failed to notice that the scratches on his legs were no longer there.

* * *

"I'm ready!" Naruto shouted as he sprinted down the street towards the training field, he was more excited than he had been in a long time.

As the field came into view, he saw that Nina was already there, early like always.

"I assume you had a restful sleep last night. We will start with chakra control, something crucial to each and every shinobi." She stated. Naruto nodded enthusiastically. "Good, now you must find your chakra stream, it flows all across your body and is the core of all jutsus. Sit, close your eyes and clear your mind." He did so, shutting his eyes and trying to push away all his thoughts. "Focus on your heartbeat." He heard her say, and so he listened to the steady rhythm of his heart. He felt nothing different than what he usually did, just the regular bu-bum beat in his chest, but he trusted her and knew that there must be something else there. And so he searched and searched, trying to detect something that might resemble chakra.

Nothing.

"I can't feel anything..." He mumbled, slightly annoyed.

"Try again" So he searched for another few minutes.

Still nothing.

Nina saw his face scrunch in frustration.

"Focus. I will unmask a portion of my own chakra, you will be able to detect it." He felt a strange, weightless pressure push down on him, it was similar to the presence around his mother and other shinobi but felt different somehow. He suddenly became aware of a small wisp of the same presence coming from somewhere else. "Our chakra is very similar, do you sense yours?" Nina asked, voice almost at a whisper. He focused harder and tried to pinpoint the wisp.

"Is... is that my chakra?" He asked, the word foreign on his tongue.

"Yes, focus on it, that is the power you will learn to harness and manipulate." He tried to take hold of the chakra wisp, it seemed to grow and suddenly he felt it envelop his entire body. His eyes shot open in surprise, looking up at Nina as if looking for confirmation that what he had just felt was real. She nodded knowingly.

"That's it. You will be very familiar with your chakra soon. Now, I will teach you a few basic jutsus." Naruto's eyes brightened.

"Oh! The shadow clone jutsu, right? That's what the kids at the academy learned first!" He smiled at himself.

"No." Nina stated bluntly, causing Naruto's grin to fade. "The academy has their ways, I have mine. You will first learn to control your chakra." She put a hand on the trunk of a tall tree. "Send small bursts of chakra into this tree, it will look like this." The area around her hand pulsed red and the leaves rattled quietly. Naruto nodded, stepping up to the tree and placing a hand on it. "Now you must find the chakra you felt before and command it to exit through your hand." After a while, he managed to feel his chakra again, he tried to get it to go towards his palm. An odd sensation passed over his arm as a blue glow flickered under his hand, his eyes widened in surprise and he jerked his arm back. There was a moment of silence.

"Was that..." He couldn't find the right words. "Was that chakra?" He asked, unsure of what to think.

"Indeed, that was your chakra. Try again, you should see a larger burst this time." He nodded excitedly, putting his hand firmly on the trunk. Another tingle shot through his arm, faster and more noticeable than before, a ripple of blue spread out from his palm and the leaves rustled at the motion. Naruto looked at his hand, smiling impossibly wide.

"Yea! That was so cool!" He exclaimed, jumping up and down with excitement.

"This is only the beginning, you will learn many more abilities, powerful abilities that can be use to help our harm, you must not forget why you chose to become a shinobi." Nina warned.

"I won't!" Naruto assured with a smile. "I'll work super hard!" She seemed to accept his response, nodding approvingly.

"Very well, you are dismissed for the day." He blinked in surprise.

"What? But it's only noon." He said, head tilting in confusion. "Why are we ending so early?" He asked.

"You should be preparing for the festival. It is tonight, correct?" She reminded. His face lit up in excitement.

"Right! It's going to be great! I'll see you tomorrow then, sensei!" He waved goodbye as he ran off towards his home.

* * *

The red lanterns cast a warm orange over the village walls, streets were lined with festive red and silver banners, people were crowded in the village center, around the Hokage Tower, waiting for the sun to set. Kushina walked next to her son, both of then wearing silken kimonos, Kushina's was a dark purple, embroidered with vines, while Naruto's was orange and white. They happily explored the stands of food and games, Kushina bought two moon-shaped charms, one glimmered silver and the other was a deep red, Naruto had chosen the silver one and eagerly held onto it the whole time. The loud chatter of the festival-goers suddenly quieted. Naruto looked around and saw that everyone's eyes were turned to the skies, following their gaze, he was mesmerized by the sight.

A blood red coat was spread over the full moon and it seemed to radiate power.

Beautiful.

* * *

A blanket of silence enveloped the village, everyone's attention was fixed on the gleaming moon as if they had been put under a spell. Someone began clapping, then another, then another, and soon the festival was roaring with cheering and applause. Music began playing and people returned to enjoying the festivities as the red moon watched over them. A grin spread over Naruto's face as he joined in with everyone else.

Nina sat quietly in the large field, shakujō in hand, staring blankly up at the moon, but it was like she was starting past it, like she was seeing something else. She placed a hand on the wilting grass below her, sending a small portion of her chakra into the ground. There was a long silence, only the songs of the insects could be heard.

"How long has it been?" It came out as a broken whisper. If there had been anyone around, they might have been able to hear her heart break. "How long have you been gone?" She asked, her eyes soft and glazed over. The moon giggled down at her, it watched her, mocking her pain.

In a flash, she disappeared, leaving the field empty.

"May I help you?" She asked the figure hiding in the tree line. It jerked in surprise and quickly melted into the ground. She could feel its movement through the earth and wasted no time in following.

The two were quite deep into the forest when two pillars of dirt shot up from the ground, shoving the figure out with them. It landed in a crouch, its back facing her.

"You're good, just like he said." He spoke in an impossibly happy voice. "Even better, actually." He stood up and turned around, his entire body was the same shade of pale brown which seemed to be made entirely clay. Its face was like a mask, swirling inwards and closing in around the right eye. "And such a pretty face too! I can see why he was always so infatuated with you!" He giggled a high pitched laugh. "You really should have joined us, we could use your power."

"What do you want with me?" Nina ignored his comments.

"What makes you think I want anything from you?" The figure retorted in a playful voice.

"I do believe that spying on a person warrants some suspicion." He giggled childishly at her response.

"I wouldn't mind having you around the base, I don't get much company." He cleared his throat. "But anyways, I'm afraid I cannot tell you much, unless you join us, that is, and from what I've heard that won't be happening anytime soon." He said in a singsong voice.

"Who is 'us'?" Nina asked, narrowing her eyes. He seemed surprised at the question.

"Why, it's me, the boy, and Madara-sama of course!"


	17. The Plan

Nina stared at the strange man with poisonous eyes, she hadn't heard that name in a while.

"Who are you?" She demanded.

"I'm not sure I can tell you that." The pitchy voice said. "But I bet you're wondering how I know Madara-sama!" He taunted in a singsong voice. "Well, he never did tell you and I'm sure he wouldn't like me spoiling the story. Don't worry though! I'll make sure to tell him about our encounter, Madara-sama be glad to hear about his old friend..." And with that, he disappeared into the ground.

By now, Nina had neither the energy nor the will to chase him. She sighed, he must have known that the ritual would leave her weaker than usual.

She simply turned around and began walking back to the village.

Reaching her home on the outskirts of the village, Nina pushed open the door and sat down on the bed. It must have been around two in the morning by then, the moon still hung high in the night sky, radiating its deep red color. She assumed the village's festivities had concluded already as the village was completely silent, only the spots of light from the lanterns marked that anything had happened that day.

* * *

"You're getting much better." The rare compliment came abruptly one day when Naruto was practicing walking on water. It had been a few months since he started training under Nina.

"Really?" He asked, a smile now plastered on his face. "Thanks, sensei!" He turned his attention back to the task at hand: getting to the other side of the river. After he made it, he turned around and made his way back to the side he started on.

"I must talk with you about something." She said.

He skipped over and sat in front of her.

"What is it?" He grinned.

"You have not yet told your mother."

He frowned.

Yes, Kushina still didn't know he was training to be a shinobi, but why bring that up now?

"I wish to bring you on a short trip out of Konoha in two weeks' time, I doubt any excuse will be able to convince her of your absence for four days." She continued.

Naruto thought for a moment and, sure enough, he was unable to think of anything.

"I guess I have to tell her, huh?" He sighed.

"Think of it as your first mission from me. I expect to hear good news." She said, standing up. "Our time is just about up, I'll see you tomorrow." She nodded a goodbye and disappeared, leaving the boy to dread getting home and having to face his mother.

* * *

"Hey, Mom... can I talk to you?" Naruto asked slowly, peeking his head into the room where Kushina sat.

"Of course dear." She patted the spot next to her.

Naruto dragged himself over and sat down, eyes glued on the floor.

"Uh... you know how I really want to be a ninja? And how I've been going out every day?"

Kushina nodded, eyeing him with concern.

He took a deep breath and braced himself for her reaction.

"Well, I haven't been with my friends like I told you. I found a sensei to train me." He said quietly, hands gripped tightly.

He only heard silence coming from his mother.

"Naruto, you're not serious, are you?" She tried to laugh but it came out more like a cough.

He said nothing.

"...that's not possible. No one in the village would have ever agreed!" She reasoned desperately. "If you really do have a teacher, who is it?" Her voice made it clear that he had no choice but to tell.

"...her name is Nina... She's really nice and-"

"Enough!" Kushina sprang up from her seat, now fuming with anger, she turned around and stormed out of the house, slamming the door behind her.

"Sarutobi!" An angry redhead kicked open the door to the Hokage's office, two guards trying to calm her down.

"Kushina? What are you doing here so late?" The old man blew a puff of smoke and set his pipe down.

"How many shinobi in this village are named Nina?" She demanded.

Sarutobi raised as eyebrow at the question.

"What's wrong? Has something happened?" He asked, concerned.

"Just tell me!" She yelled.

The old man sighed, putting two fingers to his temple.

"Well, the name isn't very common but it's not too rare either, maybe a dozen shinobi have that name. Now why do you ask?"

Kushina clenched her fists.

"Naruto's been training with someone behind by back, apparently the person is named Nina." Every word dripped with poison, he had never seen her so angry before.

Sarutobi sighed.

"Kushina, would Minato have wanted the boy to grow up not having known the grip of a kunai?"

She froze at the sound of her late husband's name.

"Would he want Naruto to live a civilian life?"

She fell silent for a moment.

"Minato's gone." She stated bluntly, not a trace of grief remaining. "I accepted that a long time ago. It's my job to protect Naruto."

With those words, she turned and left the tower.

* * *

The sun peeked over the horizon as Naruto tiptoed downstairs, trying not to wake up his mother, he didn't want to have to face her again.

He made it to the training field and saw that Nina was there already, sitting on the dried grass.

"Hey sensei." He greeted.

"Good morning." She seemed to have picked up on his sullen mood and decided to avoid any talk about his mother. "We will start with simple chakra exercises then move on to more complex skills."

That day, Naruto practiced chakra control as well as learned a few basic jutsus. He was exhausted by the end of their training session, however, this was a different form of tired than what he normally felt.

Nina seemed to notice his puzzled expression.

"Your chakra has been drained significantly, you will learn to expand your reserve later on. Be sure to get enough rest tonight or your chakra will not replenish." She explained.

With a nod, Naruto promised he would get a good night's sleep and waved her goodbye.

* * *

Nina sat on her bed, still as a statue.

There was something nagging at her, something was telling her that she needed to do something.

A familiar face popped into her mind, one that had been invading her thoughts for the past few weeks.

Unsure of what to do, she decided to get up and visit an old friend.

A figure donning a dark cloak kneeled in front of an old, worn gravestone, legs folded beneath her. She stared at the nearly unreadable words that had been etched on the surface so long ago.

"You really aren't dead, are you?" She mumbled softly, eyes fixed on the weathered stone. "Where you have been all this time?"

She continued to gaze at the grave for many more hours, only moving when heavy raindrops began pattering down on the grass. She quickly stood up, gave the grave one last glance, and disappeared.

The village was seeing an intense downpour, the worst one in a long time. Anyone unfortunate enough to have been out was now rushing to get inside. Nina was, unfortunately, one of these people. Not wanting to be drenched by the merciless rain, she hurried into a small teahouse, luckily there weren't many people inside, only a pair of elderly men. She took a seat on one of the cushions surrounding a low-set oak table took a slow breath.

"Excuse me, miss, but would you like anything to eat or drink?" The owner, an old woman, approached with a warm smile.

"Yes, green tea please." Nina responded, though only out of politeness.

The owner nodded and excused herself. A few minutes later, she returned with a steaming cup of tea, she set it down in front of Nina and turned to her with thoughtful eyes.

"I'm sorry, but have we met before? You look so familiar."

Nina remained calm, assessing the situation: this woman may have seen her before and may even know her name, but she couldn't feel any chakra coming from her, meaning that the woman posed very little threat.

"I'm afraid I do not recognize you, ma'am." Nina responded politely.

The woman smiled.

"Must be my old eyes playing tricks on me." She chuckled lightly. "Anyways, what's your name, dear?"

"I am Yoshikawa Ia." The answer was quick, as if it had been repeated a thousand times. It was simple, really: Yoshikawa was a common surname in the Land of Earth and Ia was the name she had always used as a cover.

The owner looked surprised.

"Really? What a coincidence, my mother was named Ia as well. My name is Hasu. Senju Hasu." She introduced.

Something clicked in Nina's mind and for a second she smiled, a real, genuine smile.

"Nice to meet you, Senju-san." She nodded.

"Same to you, Yoshikawa-san. Well, I've bothered you long enough, I should get back to my work now." The old woman stood and shuffled into one of the back rooms, out of sight.

Just then, the door to the teahouse slammed open, a man stood at the entrance, completely soaked.

"May I have a towel?" He asked one of the server girls who quickly ran into a room and retrieved a large white towel. "Thank you, miss." He tried to get as much water off as possible, trotting over to a table and sitting down. The table happened to be set next to the one Nina was at, he glanced around the small shop and his eyes landed on her.

Even though she didn't look at him directly, she could see him staring from the corner of her eye, there must have been something along the lines of suspicion in his stare.

She saw him stand up.

"Excuse me, but do you happen to be a shinobi?" He asked while approaching her table.

She turned to look at him, a middle aged man with damp gray hair that would have been white in its dry state. His attire clearly stated that he was a ninja.

"I am not." She replied quickly, nothing about her appearance should have provoked the thought so she wondered why he would asked.

The man plopped down on the seat across from her.

"Really? Huh, I could have sworn that I've seen you somewhere, thought it was on a mission... Guess I was wrong!" He laughed heartily. "They call me Jiraiya, Legendary Sanin!" He flashed a smile. "What's your name?"

"Yoshikawa Ia." She hoped he would take a hint and leave her alone.

Apparently not.

"Not from around here are you? Sorry you have to see such bad weather on your vacation here, it's usually not so terrible in Konoha. I've just come back from a long journey in the Land of Water. Have you been there before? Beautiful place." He continued to make meaningless small talk for the next hour, all while receiving no interest from the woman.

Her patience had just about worn thin when she noticed the rain was lightening and took the opportunity to escape the conversation.

"I should be on my way now. Take care, Jiraiya-san." She said, quickly whisking herself out of the teahouse, only stopping to thank the owner.

Jiraiya watched her leave, he seemed to be deep in thought.

'I must have seen her somewhere...'

* * *

Weeks passed by in a flash, the days were just routine by now. Well, that is until one day Naruto came running up to her right before their training, rambling about something she couldn't make out.

"Naruto." She interrupted him. "Speak slowly."

He took a breath and shakily spoke again.

"Lord Third was killed."

Nina's eye narrowed.

"How did this happen?" She asked sternly, knowing that Hiruzen couldn't be killed by just anyone; he was Hokage for a reason.

"I don't know for sure but I swear I saw these weird humanish things around the place where his body was found! I think they were tan colored, really creepy too!" He waved his hands in front of him desperately.

"You witnessed the attack?" She frowned. Where were the anbu? Where was everyone else?

"Kind of. Well I only saw what happened right after."

Nina asked him to retell everything he saw in detail. He did so and she listened attentively.

"You say this happened just now?"

He nodded.

She paused and thought for a moment.

"Forgive me, but I'm afraid our training must be canceled today, I have something to take care of." She sent him home for the day without further explanation.

She didn't waste any time in taking off, a dark cloak draped over her shoulders, Nina scanned the deep forest for chakra signatures. There were a few that were clearly just children playing, but other than that, nothing.

Of course she couldn't detect him so easily, she would have known the truth long ago if she could. He was likely using some sort of chakra seal. She reasoned that if he had remained hidden for so long, he must be somewhere underground. If that was the case...

Nina sent a small burst of chakra into the earth and closed her eyes. She could feel the chakra spread through the ground, outlining everything from buried stones to underground rivers, however there was no open space under there that was large enough to hide a person. She continued searching, sending brief bursts of chakra into the ground while walking slowly through the forest.

For some reason, she knew that he couldn't be far.

* * *

"Zetsu."

The humanoid figure immediately appeared, half its body sticking out of the rock wall.

"Yes Madara-sama?" It spoke in an odd voice, sounding almost artificial.

"Do you feel that chakra?" The old man asked, voice dry with age. "That's the one I've told you about."

"Ah, I remember speaking to her, quite an odd chakra she has!" The creature remarked cheerfully.

"She's finally trying to find me, and it won't be long until she does." He stated, voice filled with amusement. "Get the boy, he will stay here to greet her."

"I thought you would want to speak to her. It's been a while since you two have met, right?" Zetsu asked curiously.

At first there was no response from the other man, then after a second, he smirked.

"Our reunion is going to have to wait a little longer..."

* * *

Nina scanned the area around the large rock. She had found that there was a large, empty space right underneath it. She couldn't tell what was inside but the space was certainly large enough to house multiple people. Unable to think of a quieter way to move it, Nina simply gathered chakra in her palm and pushed it out of the way, a loud stone-on-stone scratching sound broke the silence of the deep forest.

She jumped down into the dark space.

There was someone there.

A chakra source was not five feet in front of her. They seemed substantially powerful and from the looks of it, they were a fire user.

"Nina, is it?" The person asked.

Not receiving a response, he continued.

"I've been told to deliver a message." He stated.

"Where is Madara?" She demanded bluntly. She was in no mood to play his game.

"You just missed him. He should be dead right about now."

Her eyes widened in surprise.

"But no need to worry, that's why I'm here, to relay his words. Madara-sama says that you two will meet again very soon. He's looking forward to a good fight."

* * *

From the small window of her house, Nina stared up at the pale moon, eyes empty, as if she wasn't really there.

'Madara...'

She knew he had a plan, if he did actually survive all this time, he wouldn't have let himself die without a plan to return. But what could bring the dead back to life? If such a jutsu did exist, it was a threat to the balance of the worlds, its maker must have been either extremely thoughtless or outright stupid to think that trying to cheat death would be a good idea. A jutsu like that would undoubtedly bring terrible disorder. Making such a jutsu would be difficult but ilkely not impossible.

There must be a way to prevent Madara's revival...

* * *

'When am I going to learn something new?' Naruto sighed wordlessly, repeating the same hand seals over and over.

He had been practicing the signs for the teleportation jutsu for almost an hour now and he thought he was pretty good at it. However, Nina was sitting silently, staring off into the distance as if her mind was wandering far away. Naruto didn't dare to ask to move on from these seals, he knew that she would teach him when she thought he was ready. Despite that, he was still slightly bored by the repetitive motions. He wasn't even actually doing the jutsu, he was just going through the signs without any chakra. He sighed.

'Maybe she's testing my patience... I'll prove that I can do it!'

Nina sat at the edge of the village on a high branch of an old tree. She stared at the golden glow that bathed the village. As brilliant as it was, her mind was too troubled to appreciate it. She knew something had to be done, but what? She needed to talk to someone who knew Madara well, though there weren't many left, if any.

Suddenly, she remembered something: there was one left. Although they weren't on the best terms, there was a chance that he may know something, and that was good enough a reason to have a chat with him.

"Naruto, I have a favor to ask of you." Nina said.

The sun was shining bright though the air held a chilly sting.

"A favor? What is it, sensei?" Naruto asked curiously. She had never asked him for anything before, besides, what could she possibly want from him?

"I need to take a look at your chakra. It will help me know which areas you are naturally talented in and which ones you will need more training in." She lied smoothly.

"That's it? Sure!" He nodded with a smile. If it would help him get stronger then he would agree gladly.

Nina instructed him to sit down and close his eyes, she sat in front of him and placed a hand on his forehead, closing her eyes as well.

The boy's chakra was strong and could be felt heavily throughout his entire system. That wasn't what she was looking for, however. Nina was looking for something specific, something that seemed to be hiding from her.

A wisp of red chakra, highly contrasting with the prominent blue of the boy's, floated slowly towards her. There it is. It felt as if she was being pulled in by the chakra. Her vision blurred for a moment.

Once she could see clearly again, Nina found herself in a dimly lit room with water covering the floor. Everything was just as it was the last time she was here all those years ago.

She stood up and turned around, knowing what she would see.

An enormous steel cage towered high over her, the shadows obscuring the inside.

Everything was still for a long while, she didn't move or speak, and neither did whatever was in the cage.

A deep laugh broke the silence after a minute, echoing throughout the endless room.

"Look who it is." A gruff voice mused. "Haven't seen you since you trapped me in the boy..."


	18. The Discovery

"Your movements are too slow, the enemy would have struck you down by now." Nina, observing Naruto's speed.

He was learning techniques to boost his speed and was just getting the hang of it. She had reasoned that Minato would have liked his son to be as quick as he was and planned to eventually teach him the Flying Raijin, something she learned from Tobirama and had seen Minato perform once before.

"Got it!" Naruto narrowed his eyes in concentration, hands flying through the correct seals. "Renovation jutsu!" His body instantly became lighter and he ran towards a large tree. He was able to run up the tree at a considerable speed and landed on a low branch, staring at Nina hopefully.

"Better. That's enough for today, go home." She dismissed, turning and disappearing behind a line of trees.

Naruto smiled proudly and jumped off the branch, heading home as well.

* * *

Nina lay flat on her bed, eyes closed, her mind wandered.

She thought about when the next Hokage would come into power, it had been well over a month since Hiruzen had passed, she had even went to see his grave after the funeral. She spoke with him for a bit, something she tended to do when visiting lost friends. Though she knew there was no need to make peace with anything, though she wished that she could have told him the truth about herself, he deserved to know.

A chuckle escaped her lips. He must have believed that she was old and close to death, given that she was an adult when he was a child.

If only that were true.

She thought about how Kushina was still adamant about keeping Naruto away from his training, and though she hadn't spoken to her in person, people around the village seem to think that it was only a matter of time before she would snap.

She thought about how Naruto was greatly improving. In the last six months, he's gone from barely being able to identify his own chakra to perfectly executing a wide variety of jutsus. She certainly swa great things for him in the future.

Nina was content with thinking about these things. All she needed to do was not think about the problem at hand, all she needed to do was hold off on taking action.

But she couldn't.

That humanoid creature, that boy from the pit, and  _him_...

What was really going on?

* * *

"Sensei! Did you hear? The academy students are graduating today!" Naruto exclaimed after training one day.

Nina turned her attention to him.

"Is that so? I suppose that means your Uchiha friend is finishing his basic training, yes?" She recalled the young boy from that day Naruto had spoken to him.

"Yea! And since the graduation is in a few hours, I was wondering if you could come with me!" He asked.

She gave him a puzzled look.

"Why would that be necessary?" She questioned.

Naruto stared at the ground, twiddling his thumbs.

"Well... you know... I kinda told Sasuke that I would be there and since he still doesn't believe I have a sensei I said you would be coming along..." He mumbled quickly.

"Naruto." She began.

"I know! It's wrong to make promises I can't guarantee but could you pleeeease come to the ceremony?" He squeezed his eyes shut and clasped his hands in front of him.

Nina sighed heavily.

"Never again do I wish to be involved in anything like this, understood?"

Naruto smiled and nodded furiously.

"Thanks sensei!"

Two hours later, Nina arrived at the academy where the graduation was to take place. She saw that many people were already there, Naruto among them. He waved enthusiastically and she walked over to him, already regretting having agreed to this.

The ceremony soon began and the students lined up on the stage, each was handed a standard leaf shinobi forehead protector, and a speech that she assumed was usually given by the Hokage was instead given by the chief elder.

For the entire time the ceremony dragged on, Nina felt a pair of eyes on her...

"Thanks again for coming, sensei!" Naruto smiled after the graduation came to a close. "Did you see the look on Sasuke's face when he saw you? I proved him wrong, believe it!" He jumped up and down, celebrating his victory.

Nina only shook her head at his behavior.

"I assume that I am free to go now." She stood up from her seat and nodded a goodbye.

"See ya tomorrow, sensei!" Naruto waved with a wide grin on his face.

While making her was towards a lesser used path, one she hadn't used for a while because of her general absence from the village, she got the same feeling she did during the ceremony.

Someone was watching her.

The chakra was undoubtedly one of an Uchiha, and a strong one at that. Their chakra channels were active and controlled, their reserve was abnormally large, and they seemed very quick as well.

She stopped walking.

"Won't you please make yourself known?" She called to the cold night air.

A rustle of leaves sounded from behind her as she felt the pressure of an unfamiliar chakra source.

"May I help you?" She asked without turning around.

"You are not from the village." The voice, a man's, stated from behind her.

"I don't suppose you follow every traveler you come across." She mused.

"You're using a genjutsu on yourself, and most travelers also don't attend academy graduations in foreign villages."

Now she was amused. The genjutsu she put on herself was strong but light, meaning it was no easy thing to detect. She used it to block any previous memory that someone might have of her, preventing recognition. She, of course, made it so that Naruto would not be affected.

"You have impressive skills for your age. Do tell me, what is it that you want?" She inquired.

"I want to know why you were there." He stated blandly.

She almost chuckled at his uptight attitude, it almost reminded her of another Uchiha she once knew.

"Don't worry. I have no ill intentions."

He remained quiet for a while before Nina decided it was about time to go. She wouldn't want to be noticed by anyone else.

"Well, a pleasure meeting you, Uchiha, but I'm afraid that I must take my leave now." She disappeared just as the last words left her mouth.

* * *

"Sensei!" Naruto ran around the edge of the village, still in his pajamas.

It was an hour before their lessons would begin but he needed to ask her about something.

"Sensei!" All he knew was that she didn't live in the central apartments of the village nor did she live in a clan compound, leaving him to search much of the outer edges of the village. There were houses dotting the outskirts but none seemed to be occupied. He was breathing heavily but pushed himself to keep going, he really needed to find her. He passed yet another abandoned little cabin. Remembering that it was the one where a supposed witch resided, he made sure to keep a good distance away from it, just in case.

"Sensei!"

An hour later, Naruto sat limply in the familiar training field.

He bolted up upon seeing a familiar head of white hair.

"Why do you look so tired?" Nina questioned immediately upon seeing his messy hair and frantic breathing.

"Last night I had this weird dream." He ignored the question, desperately wanting to explain the dream before he forgot. "I was in the village but it wasn't really a village yet, there was only a foundation, like it was just being built, and there were a lot of people there and they were building houses and compounds and the Hokage Tower too!" He exclaimed.

"And?" Nina raised an eyebrow.

"You were there! I think I was talking to you, and there was this guy with spiky black hair with us, but I don't know who he is." He paused and looked down. "It felt so real! I could have sworn I was really there, it was like I was really seeing all the things from the dream!"

Nina suddenly became grim, her brows creased and her fingers twitched slightly.

"Don't worry too much, it was just a dream." She said, tone unchanged. "Now let's begin." There was clearly no room for argument.

By the end of the day, Naruto had completely forgotten about the dream and was in an especially good mood. He had managed to perform his first offensive jutsu, the Firefly Needle. It created a swarm of fire 'bugs' that would all shoot towards the target. He was only able to create a dozen or so of the bugs at a time but was excited regardless. Nina even had commended him on being a quick learner which only served to further brighten his mood.

"I suppose it's beneficial to reward good behavior, I'll treat you to dinner." She decided.

Naruto's eyes widened as a smile quickly spread across his face.

"Really?! Thanks sensei!" It's been almost a year since he's started training under Nina and never had she offered anything like this before.

He decided that he wanted to get ramen that night and so the two walked to the small shop that he stated was "the best place ever".

"You certainly enjoy this place." Nina mused as she watched the boy finish his second bowl of ramen.

"Yup!" He said through a mouthful of noodles. "You should try some!" He noticed the lack of food in front of her.

She shook her head.

"Don't worry about me." She wasn't particularly fond of ramen, in all honesty.

Loud chattering from outside seemed to draw closer to the shop. The cloth above the door lifted and two people entered the shop, each taking a seat. One was the same man that Nina had encountered at the teahouse during that rainstorm a few months ago and the other was a younger woman, blonde with a purple diamond on her forehead. The blonde woman sat next to Nina and the man sat next to the woman, and given that there were only four stools in the shop, there was little space between them.

It was at this point that Nina silently scolded herself for not casting a better genjutsu. The one she used only caged visual memories that were older than forty years, she thought that was sufficient to deter most people who she didn't want to interact with, but she really didn't want to speak to that man again.

As if on cue, the white haired man noticed her.

"Oh! Yoshikawa-san, right? Odd seeing you here." He waved energetically, causing the blonde to turn as well.

"Jiraiya-san." Nina greeted through grit teeth.

"Did you see Konoha's beauty and decide to stay longer?" He laughed loudly. "Ah, this is my long time friend, Tsunade. Tsunade, this is Yoshikawa Ia, she's a traveler, we met during that downpour a few months ago." He introduced.

Tsunade stared at Nina for a moment before offering a smile.

"Nice to meet you, Yoshikawa-san." They shook hands and nodded at one another respectfully.

"Same to you. I was just leaving, there's something I need to tend to. Take care." Nina quickly paid for the boy's ramen and ducked out of the restaurant.

Naruto watched in confusion for a moment before chasing after her.

Jiraiya blinked at her odd behavior and laughed heartily.

"Young people today, we'll never understand them!" He exclaimed.

Tsunade didn't seem to hear him as she stared at the retreating back of the white haired woman, she seemed to be deep in thought, brows furrowed in concentration. Jiraiya gave her a questioning look.

"Tsunade?"

She snapped out of her trance, turning her head towards him.

"Hm?"

"You alright?"

"Oh, yea."

"You were in a daze for a second there."

"Yea, yea. Anyways, you were talking about the death of the Fourth. What were you saying about a new Hokage?"

"Right, well I've already recommended someone to the council. Things should be evening out soon."

* * *

"I'm home." Naruto called while kicking off his shoes.

"Welcome back." Kushina called from somewhere in the house.

She hadn't been too happy with him ever since she learned that he was training to become a shinobi but things between then weren't too bad unless the topic was brought up.

"Oh, I forgot to tell you that I'll be going on a mission tonight." She emerged from atop the stairs and made her way down. "It should just be for a day or two."

"Good luck." He smiled brightly and headed upstairs after saying goodnight.

* * *

It was around nine the next morning and Naruto had told Nina about his mother's mission. She immediately knew something was wrong. From what Naruto had told her, Kushina was going alone and was headed north of the Land of Fire, likely the Hidden Sound Village considering Konoha's current situation. Nina knew enough about the this village to know that no shinobi was supposed to go on any mission alone, not even anbu captains were legally allowed to go on solo missions.

After training that day, she decided to do some research, meaning she would have to borrow a few records.

Late that night, when she was sure that no one was in the building, Nina slipped into the Hokage Tower and silently made her way through the semi-familiar halls. It had been a while since she's been here, the last time must have been over a decade ago, and there had certainly been some modifications made to the tower. It took some time for her to find the storage room but when she did, she opened the door with minimal trouble and began searching through the files that documented all the missions that had ever been assigned. She searched for the newest ones, looking for Kushina's name, though she couldn't seem to find the file she needed.

Nina reasoned that the most recent missions were kept in a different place, she moved to the Hokage's office, which seemed to be more of a committee room as there were multiple chairs on one side of the long, curved table. She looked through the filing cabinets and quickly found the document she was looking for.

**Destination: The Village Hidden in the Sound**

**Shinobi: Uzumaki Kushina**

**Duration: Minimum of 5 hours, maximum of 24 hours**

It was the next line that made her freeze.

**Purpose: Suicide mission**

She didn't read anything after that, all she could do was stand motionlessly, unable to understand what she had just read. Kushina was a loyal shinobi but there was no possible way that she would have agreed to go on that mission if she knew it meant her death, her son was too important to her. So she didn't know about the mission's real purpose?

What would the village have against her? Had she done something so terrible that she needed to be sent off and killed? Regardless of the reason, Nina knew she needed to intervene somehow. She didn't know exactly where in the sound village Kushina would be heading nor when she was leaving, the woman could already be gone for all she knew. There was little other information on the document that could help so with her limited information, Nina turned and hurried out of the tower.

Deciding that watching the village gate was her best chance at catching Kushina before she left, the woman remained motionless by the large iron doors, the guards on the outside joked and chattered lightheartedly, perfectly unaware of her presence.

It wasn't until nine o'clock that evening that Kushina approached the gate, a small pack with her. She greeted the guards and told them she was heading on a mission, the two men opened the gates and wished her luck. Nina took this chance to jump over the wall and past the guards.

During the journey to the Sound, Nina kept a good distance behind Kushina, being sure to keep her chakra fully hidden as to not be detected.

The massive black gates of the Sound village came into view at around noon.

Here came the difficult part, Nina would have to figure out a way to keep herself out of Kushina's sight while they were inside the village. She contemplated her choices and settled on keeping herself invisible with a genjutsu, Kushina's senses would be dulled by the amount of unfamiliar chakra sources in the village so a light one should work just fine.

The redhead took a small scroll from her backpack and stared at it for a while. She needed to find a building called the Regimen Spa, they were the ones who sent a request to Konoha about a persistent group of bandits who had looted the spa multiple times in the past, it seems there weren't enough shinobi in the Sound to take care of it so the owner had turned to Konoha for help.

After asking around, Kushina found a large stone building outside of the village center, there were wooden rooms connected to the building which she assumed were the hot springs.  _ **Regimen Spa**_  was printed in bold letters on a sign next to the building entrance, indicating that she had found the right place.

Pushing open the large door, Kushina was greeted by a short, older looking woman with white streaks in her dark hair.

"You must be from Konoha." She spoke with a grateful smile. "Please have a seat. I apologize for the lack of information you were given, but please understand that it was to keep this interaction as safe as possible. Allow me to explain. Around a month ago, two strange men approached this spa, I assumed they were simply travelers looking for a place to rest, but they seemed more interested in getting information about one of my employees, Takeo. I told them I could not give them the information they needed but they kept coming back, always asking about Takeo. They began threatening the spa and my family, saying that I had one week to get the information they needed or they would destroy everything precious to me. That was four days ago. I sent the mission request to the Leaf Village right after they left."

Kushina took a second to soak up what he was saying. She spoke slowly.

"Miss, I was told that I was to get rid of some bandits that had robbed this spa..." Yet there seems that there were no robberies nor bandits.

The woman sighed and her expression shifted to one of guilt.

"I was worried that the mission would not have been considered a priority unless I exaggerated a bit. Please, you must help me! I can't lose him, Takeo is my only son!"

Normally Kushina would have immediately denied the request and report her learnings back to Konoha, as it was standard practice to abandon missions that was put in with false information. She knew she should have left right then and there, but something made her stay. Her brow furrowed as she weighed her options.

"Alright. I'll help."


	19. The Assassination

After a few minutes of profusely thanking Kushina, the owner went on to give a description of the two men who threatened her.

"They wore wide straw hats so it was difficult to see their faces, but one had a mask covering most of his face, and his eyes were bright green. The other man looked pretty normal but he carried a large weapon on his back, I don't know what it was but it had three blades and was red and black. Both of them wore odd looking cloaks, black and red, though I'm afraid I cannot remember exactly what they looked like. Please, you must get rid of them!" The woman begged.

Kushina had sympathy for the woman, not just as a shinobi, but also as a mother.

* * *

"Master, a letter from Konoha has arrived." A dark figure kneeled in front of a large throne-like chair.

"Who is it this time?" The figure seated in the chair waved for the letter to be brought up. Glancing over the scroll with the minimal light that leaked into the dark room, the figure smirked. "Same old task. And it's one of their own again."

Both figured chuckled deeply.

"Should I retrieve your weapons, master?" The servant asked.

"Go."

He quickly stood and scrambled away, disappearing into the darkness of the room.

The master did not move from the throne for a long while, only standing up to take the weapons that had been brought.

As the battle-ready man stepped out of the dark room and into the light of the sun, a thought briefly crossed his mind.

'Must be important for that large of a reward...'

* * *

That night, Kushina stayed in a room at the spa which had been offered by the owner, she insisted that it was best that Kushina stay close until the men returned again.

The redhead sat in her bed, some papers spread out before her, all of then containing information on recent crime reports near that area of the Sound village. She was looking for any other indication on the existence of these two strange men, though it was futile. There wasn't a single trace of them anywhere else. Though it was possible that they had been involved in a crime that was not reported, this still gave Kushina nothing to go on. She didn't know anything about their abilities, not even how generally powerful they were, this meant she would have to keep on guard when facing them.

Night fell and the spa was silent, everyone was fast asleep. A lone figure slid out from behind the building and quickly jumped onto the roof, landing soundlessly. Bending down, the person skillfully cut a hole into the dull tiles and dropped down into the building.

Nina saw the man from her vantage point atop a tall tree, she stood from her spot and followed the figure, slipping down into the same hole.

Nina found herself in a hallway, the main hall, she assumed. She couldn't feel the intruder's chakra but she could feel Kushina's. Quickly finding the room she was asleep in, Nina saw the figure had found her as well.

The person approached the resting woman silently, kunai in hand, intending to keep this quick and simple. He soon realized that there was going to be a change of plans.

A woman suddenly appeared before him, blocking his view of the redhead. She didn't need to speak for him to know that he would have to get past her in order to complete his task. Without wasting any time, he lunged forwards and aimed at her heart. She shifted towards the left just enough to avoid the blade and took the opportunity to slip a kunai out of the man's weapon pouch, it was soon sent flying at him, though it was only able to graze his collar.

He jumped backwards and landed in a crouch. He stared at her with unblinking eyes, as if assessing her strength. In a flash, he pulled out a dagger and leapt towards her, she mirrored him and their weapons clashed, sparks flew as the two blades met.

Nina was able to put Kushina under a hasty genjutsu just a moment before, ensuring that she would not wake up during this... altercation.

The two landed again on opposite sides of the room for a moment before the man flung a number of small senbon needles towards Nina, they glinted in the darkness as they lodged in the wall behind her. The man looked around to see where she had disappeared to, soon finding out as he blocked a kick to the head.

Their battle was highly restrained by the limits of the room and neither of them seemed to want to harm the spa. Nina recognized the man was highly skilled and could be dangerous in an all-out battle, she originally only aimed to chase him away but seeing that he could become rather troublesome the future, she decided it was best to take care of things quickly, however, before she could do anything, the man slipped out the door and into the hallway.

Quickly following behind, Nina caught a glimpse of him just as he jumped through the hole in the ceiling and disappeared from view.

Suddenly, she heard a soft padding of footsteps coming down the hallway.

The owner glanced around wildly as she arrived at Kushina's door. The hallway was empty, everything was still. She opened the door to Kushina's room and let out a breath of relief when she saw that everything was as she left it and the redhead was sound asleep. She could have sworn she heard some commotion from her office and rushed over to see what was going on. She closed the door and started back to her office, brushing off what she heard as just her imagination.

* * *

"Good morning." Kushina greeted the next morning.

The owner turned from her work and smiled.

"Good morning. Did you sleep well?" She asked.

"I did, thank you for allowing me to stay here." She bowed her head gratefully.

"No, no, not a problem." She paused. "Did you happen to hear anything last night? Some kind of... scraping noise?" The old woman questioned slowly, still unsure if her ears had played a trick on her.

Kushina shook her head lightly.

"I don't believe so, I would have woken up if I had heard anything like that." She assured with a smile.

The owner laughed.

"Of course, of course. My mistake."

* * *

That night, the same man entered the building, again through the hole in the ceiling. Someone had covered it with a block of what seemed to be concrete. Easily moving it aside, he swiftly jumped down into the same hall, it wasn't long after when he heard the soft sound of someone landing on the wooden floor behind him. Spinning around, he saw the same woman from yesterday.

He frowned; who was she and why was she getting involved?

'How troublesome.' They both thought.

It took no time for the battle to start, kunai and other weapons flying through the air as the two shinobi moved skillfully around the halls. As one of his kunai was thrown back at him, the man jumped up through the hole in the ceiling, narrowly avoiding having his ankle severed. Nina leapt after him, both of them landing on the smooth tiled roof.

Under the moon's illumination, she was able to see his face clearly. Jet black hair swept to the side, two scars above his left brow and an annoyed look on his face. Glinting blue eyes studied her as well, trying to size her up. The man suddenly formed an unfamiliar chain of seals and shot forwards. A loud noise pierced through Nina's thoughts, it was enough to cause her to wince and leap back.

'A sound jutsu...'

After a few more attacks from the man, she soon found out that, though his jutsus were strong, the severity would decrease as the distance between the two increased. Nina had opted not to use any jutsus of her own, not yet at least. It wasn't that she had decided to let him live, it was simply that she had never known many sound users, their battle might give her insight into how they fought which could certainly help her later on. Maybe she could even learn a thing or two.

By daybreak, the man seemed to have run low on chakra and fled, disappearing into the forest. Nina made no effort in chasing him, knowing he would be back tomorrow. He must be the one that had been 'hired' to kill Kushina. Hired by Konoha. How they had found someone in the Sound to do the job? She had no idea. All she could do was ponder why this was all happening in the first place.

* * *

The next night, Nina sat by a tall branch overlooking the spa, patiently waiting for the man to appear.

He did not.

She frowned slightly when the sun rose and there was still no sign of him. He had not even made an effort to complete his 'mission' last night and this did not sit well with her. Shrugging it off, she decided to simply see what would happen. She remembered today was the day that, if the old lady's story was true, the two men would come back to collect their information on the woman's son. She didn't know exactly how powerful these two people would be, and though she knew Kushina was very capable, she wasn't going to take any chances. She would watch their interaction and if it escalated into anything violent, which it undoubtedly would, she would help step in if necessary.

"They're coming!" The owner rushed through the halls in search of Kushina. "They're coming!" The old lady almost crashed into the woman upon turning a corner, she stopped momentarily to catch her breath, panting heavily. "The men, I saw them! They'll be here any moment now!"

Kushina frowned at her words.

"Alright, I'll take care of it, please stay inside until it's safe." After the redhead was able to calm the woman down, she slipped into her room and grabbed a few scrolls as well as extra weapons. Just in case.

"I don't remember the old hag looking like that." The shorter of the two commented with a smirk upon seeing an unfamiliar person walk out of the spa building. They were still a distance away but could easily tell that the woman was clad in a shinobi's uniform.

Kushina breathed in deeply before looking at the approaching men. They made no attempt to mask their chakra, it was heavy and gave her a nervous rush. They were strong. She was able to see that they wore black cloaks with red clouds scattered on them, they also had simple straw hats with what must have been a bell ringing gently in the wind.

The two came to a stop a few feet away from Kushina, close enough to see their opponent clearly.

"A leaf shinobi?" The shorter man spoke again. "The hell are they getting involved?"

"It doesn't matter. Our mission is to get the man, any opposition will be taken care of." The taller man stated, causing the other to laugh.

"Serious as ever, huh Kakuzu?" He laughed and grabbed the large scythe on his back. "Let's get started then!" A bloodthirsty smile plastered on his face, he lunged forward with impressive speed, barely giving Kushina enough time to avoid his attack.

She swiftly grabbed a few kunai and threw them towards the man who effortlessly deflected them, sending the blades flying in different directions.

'As I thought, he's good...' Kushina frowned. Her hands flew through some seals and a barrage of wind was sent towards the man, it whirled around him and was able to cause a good number of scratches. He seemed more annoyed than injured, though, leaping out of the range of the wind and lunging for the woman once again. She was able to momentarily block the scythe with two kunai before being pushed back by the sheer force behind it, she formed another chain of hand seals and a water snake emerged from the nearby hot springs and crashed into the man, throwing him to the side.

"Agh! That's hot!" He hissed, shaking the arm that was hit.

"Tired already?" The taller mocked.

"As if." He sneered. "Just watch, old man."

The battle continued for a long time, both were able to hold their ground but Kushina was clearly growing tired, she was running low on chakra yet her opponent barely seemed to be out of breath. She cursed at herself for not asking to go with a team, she thought she could handle it. They should at least have had more information on the enemy before sending her out alone.

Narrowly dodging the swing of the scythe, Kushina sent a sandstorm at the man in an attempt to block his vision, it worked for a while before she was no longer able to keep it up. Now breathing unevenly, she again jumped away from the man's blade, this time it was able to cut the side of her leg, causing her to flinch and grit her teeth.

Her mind spun as she tried to think of a way out of this. All she could do was keep on dodging; her chakra was dangerously low at this point. Her movements grew sloppier as time went on and she didn't know how much longer she would last.

Suddenly, she felt someone behind her, but before she could do anything, she felt something warm on her forehead and blacked out.

The man stared at the newcomer; another woman, younger than the first. He frowned at this unwelcomed guest, he didn't take too kindly to having his battle interrupted.

He became even angrier when he saw the redhead vanish.

"Hey! Who the hell are you?!" He hollered at his new enemy.

There was no response.

"Heh, well it doesn't really matter. Any blood is good enough for me!" He laughed and leapt forwards only to suddenly be thrown back by an invisible force.

He landed on his feet, a high pitched sound rang through his head.

"What the hell..."

The woman tilted her head slightly.

"Just picked that one up. Seems to be effective..." She mumbled softly.

Once the ringing subsided, the man stood up straight and glared daggers at her, he cursed under his breath and charged, scythe poised to strike.

With each miss, he grew more and more agitated, this wasn't like the battle with the other woman; the redhead wore out quickly but this one didn't show a single sign of slowing down or growing sloppy. Not only that, but she was able to keep up a steady stream of jutsus, each one more powerful than the last.

While leaping to the side to avoid a large fireball, he failed to see the kunai zipping towards him. A clang to his right made him turn to see what had caused the noise: two kunai lie on the ground a few feet away.

"Thank me later." A voice from behind made him snort.

"As if that would have done anything." He shot. "Just stay out of my way, moneybags."

The one named Kakuzu ignored him and dashed forwards, a fist aimed at his enemy.

The two engaged in a taijutsu skirmish, both their movements were so quick that they could only be seen by a trained eye. They exchanged a few blows before they both suddenly jumped back, a scythe was now lodged in the ground where they stood only a moment ago. The shorter man landed next to it, anger rolling off of him in waves.

"KAKUZU!" He hollered, pointing an accusing finger at his partner. "WHY DO YOU GET TO HAVE ALL THE FUN?" He yelled, though his partner didn't seem fazed.

"I saw you were having trouble handling the girl, Hidan. I decided to help." He said mockingly, only serving to further anger the man.

"Tch! As if I can't beat her!" He sneered and pulled the scythe from the ground, charging at the woman.

Not ten minutes later, the two men had tired themselves out, both from battling and bickering, while the woman showed little sign of fatigue.

The two stood opposite of her, glaring daggers, they were about to strike again when the woman suddenly vanished. Both men felt a prick on their neck before they blacked out.

The owner of the spa rushed outside when she saw the two men disappear, she put a hand over her heart and let out a sigh of relief. Turning around, she was about to go back inside when she saw Kushina leaning against the wall, she rushed over and tried to wake her, it seemed as if she was unconscious.

'Poor girl, she must be exhausted...' The old woman sighed. She hadn't watched the battle in fear of being noticed by the men, but she peeked out the window the moment it had grown quiet. When she saw that the men were nowhere in sight, she rushed outside to make sure everything was ok.

"Bless her." She whispered, smiling gratefully at Kushina.

* * *

Something blurred into view, a dull red.

Kushina had to blink a few times before her vision cleared and the wooden ceiling greeted her silently. A few more seconds passed before she remembered where she was and what had happened. She sat up, a dull pain in her legs, and looked around. Someone must have brought her back into the spa after she had blacked out.

She thought back to the battle she had with those two men, she recalled just barely being able to injure them both enough to make then retreat. She smiled at herself, she couldn't believe she had pulled that off but was grateful that she had, there wouldn't have been anyone to save her if she had failed.

Standing up on shaky legs, Kushina stepped out of the room and headed to the spa owner's office.

"You're awake!" The woman jumped from her seat and rushed over to her, inspecting her for more injuries. "How are you feeling?"

"I feel much better. Thank you for your hospitality." She bowed with a smile. "Oh, I'll be leaving soon now that my mission is complete." She remembered.

"I should be the one thanking you, I'm forever grateful that you drove those men away." She smiled warmly and shook Kushina's hand. "Let me see you off."

In just a few minutes, Kushina had packed her belongings and was ready to head back to Konoha, she chatted with the owner as she walked her to the village gate.

"I'm sure that- Oh! Takeo! Come here!" The old lady waved at someone.

A tall man walked over to them, he looked young and she noticed a slight resemblance between him and the old lady.

"Takeo, this is Uzumaki-san, a shinobi from Konohagakure. She's the one who got rid of those terrible men who were bothering us." She turned back to Kushina. "This is my son, Takeo. He's the one that those crooks were asking about."

The man eyed her blankly.

"Thank you, I am deeply grateful." He bowed respectfully.

"Not a problem, I'm always glad to help." Kushina smiled. "Well, I should be on my way now, goodbye!"

She crossed the village gate and started back to Konoha.

The owner waved as she saw the kunoichi slowly fade from view, though her son did not mirror her gesture. He simply stared at her with piercing blue eyes.

"What a wonderful lady." His mother said with a gentle smile.

He did not respond but instead turned and walked away, black hair swaying with the wind.


	20. The Tragedy

"Sensei!" Naruto hollered while running towards the field, he seemed both angry and relieved. He came to a stop right in front of her. "Where have you been?!" He demanded.

"I apologize for my absence, something came up." Nina said smoothly.

He frowned, not seeing to particularly like this answer but thought it best to drop the topic.

'She must have her own reasons...' He thought.

"Whatever, can we start training now?"

* * *

"Sir, here's the report." Kushina placed a folder on the Head Council members' desk, whose eyes widened slightly upon seeing her.

Snapping out of his stupor, he blinked and quickly took the folder.

"Thank you. You are dismissed." He said with the slightest tremble in his voice.

She bowed briefly and turned to leave, a smile plastered on her face, she was excited to see her son again, the mission had taken longer than expected and she rarely went on such lengthy ones for fear of leaving Naruto alone. Regardless, she was ready to get back home and greet her son, her mood was bright and cheery as she made her way down the streets and towards her house.

Her smile dropped the instant she opened the door. From the quiet, she could tell that the house was empty.

'Of course. He's out training.'

* * *

A big announcement was made that day.

After Naruto had finished training, he was walking home when he saw a large crowd gathered around something. Curious, he wiggled his way to the front of the crowd. There was a single piece of paper hung on the lamppost and on it were the large words:

**Legendary Sanin Senju Tsunade to be the Next Hokage!**

"The princess is back?"

"Hokage? I know she's strong, but hasn't she been gone for a few years?"

"I can't wait to see her!"

"About time we had a female Hokage."

"She's been gone for so long, then the instant she comes back she's named Hokage?"

"She has Senju Hashirama's blood running through her, she must be a great leader."

There was loud chattering from the crowd, both cheers of excitement and statements of disapproval, through the former seemed to be more prevalent.

Naruto didn't know who this person was, but with a title like 'Legendary Sanin' she was sure to be a great shinobi, he hoped that he would get to see her. The paper also said that the ceremony would be taking place in two weeks.

'I'll definitely go!' He nodded to himself, then turned around and hurriedly slipped back out of the growing crowd.

* * *

A few days later, Naruto was aimlessly wandering the market streets when he heard someone call his name.

"Hey, Naruto!" A lively girl with light pink hair waved as she ran towards him.

"Sakura!" Naruto greeted with a smile. He had known her for the longest time, their parents had gone on a number of missions together and had instantly become friends, his mother had told him that both he and Sakura were just a few months old when they were introduced. Ever since then, they had remained close despite the fact that Naruto didn't attend the academy. She was also one of the only people that knew about his training.

"My team's going on a mission tomorrow!" She cheered.

"Another cat?" Naruto asked jokingly.

Sakura's face flushed.

"No!" She yelled, hitting him upside the head. "We're gonna find some bandits that have been causing trouble in the village. It's a C class too, Kakashi-sensei says we're the first team that was given a C class mission! All the others are still on D class ones." She stated proudly, hands on her hips.

Naruto's eyes widened upon hearing this.

"Bandits? Awww, why do you guys get to go on cool mission?" He complained. "I wanna go on missions like that!"

Sakura shrugged.

"I guess there's a reason people go to the academy to train. Having one person teach you is what they used to do back before the hidden villages were created, an academy with a bunch of teachers and stuff is so much better! Plus we get to do all types of missions!" She giggled excitedly, though Naruto didn't seem to share her opinions.

"Hey! My sensei is great! I wouldn't want to be on a team even if I could!" He huffed defensively, crossing his arms.

Sakura smiled at his gesture.

"Sure you wouldn't, anyways, let's go get some food!" She changed the subject before he could interrupt her. Dragging him by the arm, the two began deciding on what they wanted to eat.

* * *

The entire village was gathered by the Hokage Tower and it was impossibly loud with all the talking, cheering, and laughter mixed into one unanimous, incoherent noise. It was just past four in the afternoon and the next Hokage was about to be officially recognized, Naruto stood next to Sakura, Sasuke, Inami, and Kai, all of whom were longtime friends of his.

"Hey, have you guys seen this lady before?" Kai asked curiously.

"No, but i hear she's really old!" Inami giggled, earning her a punch on the arm from Sakura.

"She's one of the Legendary Sanin and I think she'll be a great leader." The pink haired girl stated.

"We don't even know her, why should an outsider get to be Hokage?" Sasuke had his eyes shut and his arms crossed.

"She's not an outsider though." Inami said matter-of-factly. "She's the First's granddaughter and she's lived here longer than we've been alive!"

Sasuke only responded with an indignant 'hm'.

The noise around them suddenly quieted, causing the children to glance around in confusion.

"Look!" Naruto whispered loudly, pointing to the balcony of the tower.

Two figures stood there, one of whom Naruto recognized as the chief elder, an old, hunched man whose wisdom was as remarkable as his age, and the other being a blonde woman who looked to be around thirty, Naruto's eyes widened when he realized that she was none other than the soon to be Hokage.

"Senju Tsunade, do you accept the burden of the position of Hokage? Will you take the future of Konoha as your own and accept the duty of protecting the people of our great village?" The aged voice of the old man boomed over the crowd.

Not a single sound could be heard among the villagers, they all stared up at the figures in anticipation.

"I accept." The woman spoke in a powerful voice.

"Then from this day forth, may Konoha rest easy with you at its head!"

Cheers and shouting shattered the silence as the villagers broke into applause.

An enormous celebration immediately took place afterwards, there was food, drink, and stands filled with everything from sparkers to charms.

Naruto and his friends squeezed their way through the people and finally made it to a row of stands selling all types of food.

After they had eaten their fill, they noticed a particularly crowded area, a large group of people are gathered around something. Curious as always, Naruto told the others he would be back then dashed towards the crowd.

He had managed to find his way to the center, looking up, he saw the new Hokage simply sitting on a chair, answering the dozens of questions that were being shouted by the crowd. She was patient with them and didn't seem to mind the volume with which the villagers 'spoke'.

Suddenly, a woman with short brown hair emerged from the crowd and began waving the people away.

"Alright, alright. Hokage-sama has business to attend to. Shoo!" She hollered at the crowd.

Soon, the mass of people had scattered, leaving only the two women.

"Hm?" The dark haired one noticed that there was still a boy standing a few feet away, simply staring at them with curious eyes.

"Hey kid, go play somewhere else." She waved him away.

He blinked for a second then turned and disappeared among the people.

"I don't have work until tomorrow, Shizune." Tsunade stated.

"Well, I thought I better do something before you exploded on them." Shizune scratched the back of her neck.

"Just in time too." Tsunade smirked. She was never fond of large crowds. "I'm going to get a drink." She stated, standing up and walking towards a nearby sake shop.

"W-Wait!" Shizune quickly ran after her. "You have work tomorrow!"

* * *

The sun hung high overhead as Naruto trained the next day. He had already told Nina all about the celebration last night and about the new Hokage.

"She's one of the Legendary Sanin! Plus the First Hokage was her granddad! That must be so cool!" He exclaimed while warming up that morning.

Nina only hummed in response and kept an eye on his stamina.

After he was finished running, Nina brought out a few peculiarly shaped blades, only some of which he was familiar with.

"I have decided to teach you how to use these weapons, each of them has their own purpose and specialty. This one is a kunai, the most common short blade that all shinobi use."

Naruto nodded, he had seen plenty of his friends training with them but had never used one himself.

She then pointed to the ones next to it.

"This is a shuriken, used for long range attack and occasional defense." She explained the use of each weapon, six in total.

Naruto did his best to absorb all the information he could, but the sheer excitement was enough to keep his mind racing.

'I wonder which one's the most difficult...' He oogled, staring at the blades as they gleamed under the sun.

"First you will learn to use the kunai, for a shinobi, it is the most essential among all blades." She handed him the dark, pointed weapon.

He turned it in his hand, smiling at the thought that he would be able to use something so dangerous.

Learning was not as easy as he had thought it would be.

Nina had him practice with targets first, he was to aim at a spot that she had marked on a large tree.

Throw after throw, he missed the X and by the time the sun had begun to set, there were dozens of kunai both lodged in the tree and lying on the grass nearby.

Naruto glared at the tall maple, it was as if that X was taunting him, daring him to try, and fail, again.

"We will end here today." Nina's voice snapped him out of his concentration.

He let out a tired sigh and managed a smile.

Both of them began to retrieve the kunai that were strewn around the tree, as he picked them up, he handed the blades to her. Soon, Naruto had found the last remaining kunai and handed it to her, however, she didn't move to take it.

"You will need something to practice with on your own." She said simply.

Naruto was surprised at this, he hadn't expected to be allowed to keep one. A bright smile spread across his face.

"Cool! Thanks for letting me borrow this! I'll take good care of it!" He shouted.

Nina raised an eyebrow at this, amused.

"You'll be owning many more in the future, now get yourself home." She turned and disappeared behind the trees as she always did.

The smile did not fade from his face as he dashed back home, the kunai tucked away in his pocket.

That night, Naruto couldn't help but stare at the gleaming weapon in his hands, his eyes swept across its simple handle and up towards the pointed tip, he knew it could injure, even kill, a person with a single blow; he had to be cautious when using it.

Carefully concealing his new treasure in the drawer of his nightstand, he laid down and closed his eyes, hoping that he could get some sleep before tomorrow came.

* * *

As Naruto continued his daily training, he continued to grow stronger and his chakra control improved immensely, although he himself could not see it. He listened to his friends as they told him of their missions, at first, there were only stories of helping an old man clean or plucking weeds from a widow's garden, but the tales soon grew to consist of fending off bandits from foreign nations or finding the hideouts of rogue ninja. Though he did not show it, Naruto desperately wanted to be there with them, he wanted to travel and see the outside world while also helping people. With each day he went to train with Nina, he got more and more distracted, his mind wandered as he daydreamed about what other nations and villages looked like, how the people there must live so differently. He made sure never to mention anything about it to Nina, however. He knew that he was lucky to learn from her and that she could simply refuse to continue teaching him at any time. He was still undoubtedly grateful that he was able to train under her but part of him wanted to be with his friends and to go on all the missions that they got to do.

Naruto opened the door to his home and headed up the stairs to his room. On the way, he passed an open door, one that was usually closed.

He stuck his head inside: empty. He knew his mother wouldn't want him in here; it was his father's room.

Things were very clean inside except for the thin layer of dust that coated all the furniture. His eyes scanned the semi-familiar room, he had only been in here a few times before, all without his mother's knowledge. His curious gaze landed on a podium-like display case, it was completely wooden expect for the glass cover that protected its contents.

He glanced back down the hall to make sure his mother wasn't there then stepped closer to the case.

Inside was an ancient looking book, its pages had browned with age though it seemed to be in great condition. Besides a few damaged edges, the book was pretty much all there. The text was small, almost like the books he had seen in the village archives, and was written in some sort of language he had never seen, there were some words he did recognize, however. His mother had never spoken about this book nor had he found out where his father got it from. He didn't dare lift the glass case, much less touch the book for fear of damaging it. Something so old must be pretty fragile, he reasoned. He decided that he wouldn't ask his mother about it... just not yet.

Quickly turning around, he tiptoed out of the room and silently entered his own. The sun had already set so he crawled under the covers and, after shifting around a bit, drifted to sleep.

* * *

Things continued as they were for a while longer, then one day there was a knock at the door. It came right after Naruto had returned from his training, he had only just made it to the top of the stairs when the sound prompted him to turn back around.

Making it down the steps once more, he opened the door.

Two men stood in front of him, both were dressed in green vests similar to the one his mother had. Their expressions gave Naruto a feeling of dread.

"Is this the residence of Uzumaki Kushina?" One of the men asked.

"Yes... who are you?" Naruto asked slowly.

"We regret to inform you that Uzumaki-san was fatally injured while on a mission, she died en route back to Konoha."

* * *

Naruto lay on his bed, staring at the ceiling. His mind was blank and his body was numb. He simply lay there, lacking the energy to do anything else.

It had almost been a week since he had gotten the news and this was how he had spent the days, only occasionally getting up and wandering around his room mindlessly. He hadn't left the house since he learned of the news. There was no way he would be going anywhere. Even the curtains of his room were drawn, blocking any light that might have wanted to peek through.

He simply didn't want to see anyone.

* * *

The next day, Naruto had managed to pull himself out of bed and get properly dressed.

Today was the funeral.

Stepping out of the house for the first time in a week made him shaky; he didn't want to be outside.

He kept his head down and walked slowly, soon finding himself in front of a certain black sculpture, the one that held the name of every shinobi who had perished in battle, the ones closer to the top were more faded, the ones at the base were more recent.

Naruto walked past the monument without giving it a single glance. He didn't want to have to see the newest addition.

He soon saw a large group of people, fully dressed in black, in front of a coffin. On either side of the coffin were village elders, the head councilman and elder stood behind the black casket, the Hokage with them.

Naruto approached the people and they parted for him as he passed, whispering their condolences. He didn't hear anything they said.

He stood at the very front of the crowd, his head was bowed like everyone else's, it was as if they were having an undeclared moment of silence. Everyone held a white rose in their hands, and after the Hokage's brief eulogy, which frankly meant nothing to Naruto, everyone went up and placed their rose on and around the coffin.

Naruto had chosen to stay back until everyone else had placed their flowers, he wanted to be the last to say goodbye to his mother.

Most people had left by the time Naruto approached the casket, flower gripped tightly, and placed a hand on its cold, smooth surface.

For a while, the boy only stared, a few tears dotting the ground beneath him. Finally, he took a deep breath and gently placed the rose at the center of the black lid, removed his hand, gave the pictures in front one last glance before turning and slowly began his trek home.

* * *

"Well, we've succeeded, haven't we?" The councilman said to the head elder. He leaned back against the wall of his office, arms crossed. He was a young man, well built with a sharp look to him.

The elder nodded solemnly.

"Now that Uzumaki-san is gone, we have access to the boy. I do wonder, though, was there no other way?" He questioned with a frown.

The younger man scoffed.

"The boy is young, easily influenced. Now that his mother is out of the picture, we can train him, mold him into a weapon, Konoha's secret weapon." He smirked. "Simple, really."


	21. The Beast

A week had passed since Kushina's funeral had taken place and a few elders and council members had gathered to discuss what would be done about Naruto.

"We need some way to keep him close to the Hokage Tower so we can keep an eye on him. Perhaps one of us could begin training him as well; he's of no use to us as a civilian."

"We can move him out of his home and into an apartment, one in the complex right next to the First Conference Hall. He'll be in close range that way."

"Alright. Now who will we assign to train the boy? We must avoid anyone associated with the academy, ideally it should be one of the Council's connections."

"I know someone. His ties with the village are already loose and he's worked for us before. It shouldn't be a problem."

"Then it's settled. We will move the boy into an apartment tomorrow and his training will begin soon after."

With a nod of agreement, the six members stood from their seats and the meeting concluded.

* * *

Naruto lay on his bed, the house was silent as it had been for the past two weeks. He was slightly more active and seemed to be getting better. Of course, he still rarely left the house and only really got up to eat. His friends had stopped by earlier that week to check up on him, and while he was grateful for the gesture, he preferred to be alone.

He let out a breath and rolled onto his side, now facing the door to his room. Glancing over at his nightstand, he lifted an arm and slid open the top drawer. A shiny black kunai lay there peacefully. He hadn't gone to training since his mother had died, in fact, training was just about the last thing on his mind. Still, feeling a little guilty, he decided that he should go see if Nina was still at the field.

He stood up and stepped out of his room, went down the hall, and descended the stairs.

The house was too quiet.

Opening the front door, he warily stepped outside and started down the street.

The sun was high in the sky as Naruto approached the familiar field and, to his surprise, a white haired woman sat at the center.

"...sensei?" He asked, his voice uncertain.

Nina opened her eyes and blinked at the boy.

"Naruto, how are you?" She greeted.

He had to think for a moment before responding.

"Good... why are you still here?" He questioned slowly. It was nearly four hours after the time he would have begun training... did she wait for him the whole time?

"I thought you may try to find me, perhaps needing to talk. It seems I was right." She observed, patting the ground next to her.

He hesitantly walked over and sat down, unsure of what to say.

A long silence hung in the air.

"Sorry I haven't been coming." He spoke up, his spoke quietly, almost like a whisper.

"It's quite alright. Even shinobi need days off." She stared understandingly.

He seemed to shift slightly.

"Um... my... my mom-"

"I know." She interrupted, causing him to look up.

"Y-You do?"

She nodded.

His gaze fell to the ground, his hands clenched and he became silent.

"Would you like to hear a story?" She asked abruptly.

He looked up at her again and, after a moment, nodded despite his confusion.

She paused briefly before opening her mouth.

"Not so long ago, this village was nothing but part of a vast forest. This forest was a battleground for the many clans that lived in the area, all of whom were trying to out-do the others. Among these clans were the Uchiha and Senju. The Senju were a clan of many talents and many faces with all types of chakra natures among them. They were a clan with a strong sense of family and a desire for peace, their leader had the same values. Senju Hashirama was a most respectable man and an excellent shinobi. He was the one to first envision a hidden village. There was also the Uchiha, a powerful clan of soliders who were the only ones that could hold their own against the Senju shinobi. They were known for their crude nature and cold exterior, but never was there a clan who treasured love more than the Uchiha. Their family ties were even more powerful than their infamous fire jutsus, it was their love that made their visual prowess strong. Too strong. They believed getting rid of emotions was the only way to advance their Sharingan and therefore tried to lock themselves away, the more attached an Uchiha was to another person, the more they were pressured to break that attachment. This progressed to a point where the best of friends were pitted against each other and, in one way or another, fought until only one remained alive. During that time, their leader was named Uchiha Madara, a man who sought a better world through violence and power. He and Hashirama were childhood friends, and despite their different methods, they both wanted the same thing: a world without war or suffering." She paused to see his reaction: Naruto seemed completely entranced.

"Eventually, they resolved to put their differences aside and join together, they decided on a spot for the village they wanted to form and began building it. Soon, however, Madara became restless. He sought more than the village could offer him, more than anyone could offer him. So he left Konoha. Hashirama prayed for his friend's return, and Madara did return, though not in the way he had hoped. He came back with a great beast under his control and wreaked havoc on the village. He and Hashirama fought a terrible battle in a place not far from here, both parties perished."

Naruto was amazed. He had never heard this story before and he was more than a little fascinated by it. The first Hokage, the one revered as the god of shinobi, had been killed in a battle? This Uchiha Madara must have been a powerful opponent.

"What happened after?" He asked, eyes wide with curiosity.

"Afterwards, Hashirama's bother, Senju Tobirama, became Hokage and there was a period of peace. But that's not the point. I told you this story because the beast that Madara had used during his attack on the village now rests in you." She turned to look at him, the shock was evident on his face.

"...what?" He asked in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"The Nine Tailed Fox. That is what he's called. He continues to reside in you at this very moment." Nina explained, a small smile on her lips.

Naruto did not respond, he seemed to be frozen with confusion.

"Are... are you sure?" He questioned doubtfully.

"I am. Your mother wanted to protect you from everything to do with the shinobi world and so she never told you. If you want to become a shinobi you must learn to cooperate with the beast, get along with him and he will lend you his power."

There was another silence before Naruto spoke.

"How am I supposed to get along with him? You said he was a beast, right? Like a monster?" He had never heard of anything like a nine tailed fox beforebut it didn't sound like something he wanted to be friends with.

"A beast, yes. A monster, no. He is not only sentient but also has morals and conscience, though he doesn't always like to show it." She explained.

He seemed to become even more confused, pausing to think again.

"Can... can I talk to him?" He asked hesitantly.

Nina raised an eyebrow in surprise.

"I see no problem with that, but are you certain you want to? He may not be friendly at first." She warned, and with a newfound confidence, Naruto nodded firmly. "Very well. However, there are a few things you must remember: he is not extensively hostile unless he is provoked and you must try not to offend him if you wish to become allies."

Naruto nodded, mentally taking note of these reminders.

"Ok, I'll try." He nodded again.

"Then let's begin. Close your eyes."

He did so and she placed a hand on his forehead. In a split second, he felt a strong pull and stumbled back.

An oddly dark room surrounded him and there seemed to be something resembling thick iron bars in front of him. He turned around and heard a swishing at his feet, looking down, he saw that a shallow layer of water covered the cold floor. He felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to see Nina standing next to him.

"We're here."

A deep growl sounded just as she spoke.

He looked up instinctively and could have sworn he saw movement behind those tall metal bars.

"W-Where is this?" He stammered, suddenly feeling on edge.

"This is where the Nine Tails resides." She stared up into the cage as if expecting something to appear. "Kurama, come meet your host." She called.

Another growl was heard, this time it was angrier. A huge paw emerged from the shadows, shaking the room as it connected with the bottom of the cage-like structure. Another paw soon grounded itself next to the first, then came the head of the enormous beast, a sharp face of angry features, the fox leered at the boy.

"So you're the human I am locked inside of..." His voice sounded scratchy and was dripping with hatred.

Naruto was paralyzed in fear, a bead of sweat rolled down the side of his face.

A menacing chuckle came from the creature.

"What? Afraid of me?" He mocked, baring his pointed teeth in another growl. "Pathetic."

"Kurama, please." Nina's voice broke through Naruto's panic and he turned to look up at her. Her usual calm demeanor was unshaken which greatly surprised him.

How was she not afraid of such a monster? He began to inch behind her but a firm hand on his shoulder stopped him.

"So you've taken the boy under your wing, have you?" The fox chuckled. "Can't say he looks like anything special..." He mused, keeping an unnervingly cold stare on the blonde.

"Naruto," Nina ignored the fox's comment. "This is the Kyuubi, his name is Kurama. Kurama, I'm sure you know Naruto."

"All too well." The Kyuubi glared.

Naruto gulped and his hands began to sweat.

Nina noticed his anxiousness and knew it was time to go.

"I'm certain you two will have future interactions, but as for right now, I'm afraid he has something else to attend to."

With that she put a hand on his head and the boy disappeared.

Nina turned to the beast with a displeased expression.

"Kurama, you haven't changed much." She spoke.

The fox chuckled.

"It hasn't been long since our last talk, has it?" He asked. "What is it about that boy anyways? He looks rather pitiful honestly."

Nina sent him a sharp glare.

"Do not speak out of line." She shot back. "He is the reincarnation of Hagoromo. His chakra is strong, you of all people should know that."

Kurama closed his eyes and scoffed.

"Their chakra may be the same but that says nothing of his ability. Anyways," He thought it best to change the subject. "What have you been up to?" Kurama inquired, lowering his head to rest on his paws.

"Nothing on him yet." She saw the beast cringe at her words. "I'm starting to wonder what his true intentions are." She remembered the look on the Kyuubi's face when she had first told him that Madara was still alive: disbelief morphed with disgust.

"I doubt he'll do anything drastic until he's fully prepared, at that point it may be all up to you to stop him." He reminded.

Nina breathed out slowly.

"I hope to fully train Naruto before it comes to that, he will be able to defeat him. But whatever the case, rest assured that I am ready to take care of it." She stated.

The Kyuubi stared at her, as if questioning her words.

"I do hope so." There was another pause. "Time has softened you, Nina. Just a century ago you wouldn't have spared the boy a second glance even if he begged you to train him." He commented snidely.

"Changes in circumstance call for changes in behavior, wouldn't you say?" She replied without a hitch.

The fox laughed and gave a teeth-baring smile.

"Whatever. We'll see how things work out." He stood up straight and yawned. "I'm going to sleep for now." He stepped back and disappeared into the shadow covered portion of his cage.

Nina watched him for a moment.

"I'll talk to you soon." She said finally, giving a small wave and disappearing from the room.

Naruto was suddenly jolted into consciousness and shot open his eyes. In a split second of panic, he had forgotten where he was and why he was there.

"I hope that wasn't too unpleasant, he can be rather rude." A voice pulled him from his confusion and he quickly remembered what had happened.

"He doesn't like me, does he?" Naruto thought back to that glaring face of the menacing beast.

"He just isn't fond of humans." Nina explained.

Naruto nodded understandingly but paused again, seeming to have just realized something.

"Sensei, did he... did he know you?" He spoke very slowly, unsure if he should ask such a question. "I mean, it sounded like you've met him before, you even knew his name." He stated, it seemed ridiculous to think that she knew such a terrifying creature and he couldn't imagine why she would... but the fox seemed to recognize her.

"Our paths have crossed a few times before." Nina said simply, clearly not intending to elaborate. "I suppose there is nothing further to discuss for now, you should go home and rest." She patted him on the head and stood up.

"Wait!" Naruto shot up from the ground, causing Nina to blink in surprise. "Do you know... what's going to happen to me?" He asked quietly, eyes downcast. "I don't want to stay in my house anymore but I can't move out on my own. I don't have any relatives left either."

Nina was sympathetic; she understood why he didn't wish to stay in that house, the house he had shared with his mother.

"I'm afraid I don't know what you can do in this situation. Do keep your eyes open to opportunities though." She offered. "I should be going now, stay safe." She nodded a goodbye and disappeared behind the entangled shrubs of the untended field.

Slowly, Naruto began to make his way home, his steps were sluggish and his mind distracted, anything to prolong his arrival at that house.

He eventually stopped in front of the familiar front door. With a heavy sigh, he opened it and dragged himself up the stairs.

Plopping down on his bed, he suddenly found it very difficult to keep his eyes open and it wasn't long until he drifted into a restless sleep.

* * *

_Knock knock_

Naruto groaned and rubbed his eyes, he rolled over and tried to fall asleep again.

_Knock knock_

Naruto sighed tiredly and glanced at his clock. 12:01. The warm light bathing the room confirmed that it was about time for him to get up.

_Knock knock_

Having slept in his clothes from the day before, he slid out from under his blankets and sleepily hurried down to answer the door.

"Hello?" He asked upon seeing the unfamiliar man standing at his door.

"Hello. My name is Yori and I'm here to show you to your new apartment." The man smiled.

Naruto blinked, not understanding what he was talking about.

"Um... I think you have the wrong person..." He spoke the only words that came to mind.

The man laughed.

"You're Uzumaki Naruto, yes?"

He nodded.

"Then I do have the right person! So you must not know. Well, the council has decided that, since this house is going to be repossessed, they would offer you an apartment in one of the big complexes near the Hokage Tower." Yori explained with a grin.

A smile spread over Naruto's face, that was just what he'd wanted!

"Really! Let's go then!" He exclaimed, earning a laugh from Yori.

"Someone's excited. Alright, let's go! And don't worry about your things, they'll be brought over later."

As they wove their way through the busy mid-day market, Naruto did his best to not lose sight of the man's green vest.

The two soon arrived in front of an enormous building. There were plants resting on windowsills, clothes drying on clotheslines, and children running around outside. This must be the apartment complex Yori was talking about. They entered the building and the man at the front desk handed Yori a key ring and mumbled something to him. Naruto followed the shinobi up the stairs and they stopped at a particular door. It was identical to all the other doors and could only be distinguished by the numbers above them. 393 hung above this doorframe in bold black lettering.

Yori held out the key ring and dropped it in Naruto's hand.

"Here we are. I think your stuff will get here later this evening so just try to settle in for now. I'll be back to check on you in a few days, enjoy your new place." He waved and sped away in the direction of the Hokage Tower.

Naruto smiled and unlocked the door, pushing it open to reveal a simple, plain apartment. White walls, a bed, and a nightstand in the first room. Next to it was the kitchen with a stove, microwave, and two chairs on either side of a small square table. The last room was a small bathroom attached to the bedroom through a door next to the nightstand.

It may not have been anything special but Naruto thought it was absolutely perfect.

When the boxes of his belongings arrived that night, he began unpacking and setting things up. Soon enough, the rooms were starting to look more like home.

By midnight, he had begun drifting to sleep on his bed amidst the boxes. Only one thought was on his mind as he drifted into a dreamless night.

'Things are finally starting to work out.'


	22. The Council

A few days had passed and Naruto was improving rapidly. He had begun to hang out with his friends more often and seemed to be much happier after his move to the new apartment. He was just about to head out when a knock came at the door.

He hopped up from his bed and opened the door.

"Hey Naruto! How's it going?" Yori asked with a grin.

"Good! Oh, um... why are you here?" He asked, trying not to sound rude, though the man didn't seem to mind.

"Just checking up on you. And for some news..." He motioned for Naruto to get closer and his voice lowered. "The council decided to help you become a shinobi." He whispered dramatically.

Naruto's eyes widened.

"What? What do you mean?" Help him become a shinobi? Why would they do that?

"Well pretty much the entire village knows you wanted to become a shinobi but weren't able to because of... well, circumstances. They think you have some potential and want to offer you a private sensei!" Yori stated, seeming to be excited for him. "You'll be able to catch up to your friends in no time, even surpass them! Plus I hear the person they have in mind is really strong. So, what do you say?" His smile faltered upon seeing the boy's hesitation.

"...I... I'm not sure." He struggled to get the words out. "It's really nice of them to offer that... but could you tell them that I have to think about it?"

Yori's expression soured for a split second before returning to a cheerful smile.

"Of course, I'm sure they'll understand. Anyways, I'll see you later!" He waved before disappearing, presumably to speak with the council members.

Naruto stepped out of his house and began sprinting towards the old training field.

"Sensei?" Naruto called to the familiar field. "Sensei are you here?"

No response.

He frowned, if she wasn't here then he wouldn't be able to find her. He's had no luck the last few times he tried looking for her. It was like she didn't exist outside of this place. He sighed, supposing that it was his fault for not coming for training in the past weeks. He hoped that she wouldn't be mad at him.

* * *

A figure strode through the tall trees, this was the deep part of the woods with twisting vines and little wildlife. It was as if the animals dared not tread there and even the insects refused to play their songs. Weak beams of light struggled to push through the canopy of leaves that hung high overhead, making the floor of the forest shadowy and difficult to see. The person, however, moved without hesitation in their step, they moved with purpose.

Then the figure stopped. They stood still for long while, as if they were listening to something that wasn't there. Suddenly, they glanced left and darted away. Voices could be heard approaching, they were quiet and difficult to hear but still comprehensible. For a moment, they seemed to grow closer but then slowly faded away.

* * *

A man with dull black hair approached the village gates, his eyes were a sharp green that greatly contrasted with his pale complexion. Once he reached the tall gates he was promptly stopped by two guards.

"State your name and-"

He held out a scroll, cutting them off.

One of the guards took the scroll and glanced over it. He then rolled it up again and nodded to his partner.

"You may enter."

The man tucked the scroll away and stepped into Konoha through the now open gates.

"Nishimura-san, good of you to come." A council member greeted the man. "Come in."

The man stepped into the Hokage Tower and was lead upstairs to a conference room, inside were a few elders and the other council members. Upon taking a seat, the talking began.

"Nishimura-san, I apologize for not giving you much information on this job, we simply could not compromise the security of the details by using messengers. I hope you understand. This job will be quite simple: we need you to train somebody."

The man named Nishimura frowned, he seemed to be offended at the mere concept of the task.

"With all due respect, Danzo, do you not have plenty of jounin that you can ask to do a teaching job?" He asked, leaning back in his chair.

Frowns made their ways onto a few members' faces.

"Ah, yes, but this is no ordinary teaching job. The boy we need you to train is very important and we cannot allow the village to know about our intentions." Danzo answered smoothly.

"And what might those intentions be?" Nishimura questioned, now seeming more interested.

"I should not burden you with information that will not affect your job." Danzo stated while keeping a calm demeanor, effectively dodging the question.

"Whatever you plan to do with them, I'm sure you know what type of work I do, what kind of jobs I take. You must be aware that playing sensei is not one of them." He stated, standing up and turning to leave.

"Five hundred thousand ryo."

Nishimura stopped and slowly turned around, giving Danzo a suspicious glare. After a moment, the glare turned to a smirk.

"When do I start?"

* * *

The next day, a knock came at Naruto's door. He lifted his head off of the kitchen table where he had accidentally fallen asleep. With his hair still a mess, he quickly opened the door.

"Hello?" An unfamiliar man stood in front of him. The tall, dark haired man frowned noticeably.

"Uzumaki Naruto, yes?" He demanded sharply, causing Naruto to become uneasy.

"...that's me." He answered, unsure.

"I'm sure you've been informed of this, but I have been assigned to train you."

His eyes widened as his mind began scrambling for words.

"I-I said I wasn't sure if I wanted to become a ninja!" He blurted out.

The man stared at him for a few more seconds.

"I see. In that case, I will come back when you decide to accept." The man said finally, disappearing as the last word left his mouth.

Naruto stood shocked for a moment before rushing out of the building and hurrying towards the old training field, praying that Nina would be there.

"Sensei!" He shouted in relief upon seeing the woman sitting in the field.

"Hello, Naruto. You seem to be in a hurry." Nina observed.

"I was looking for you! I need to tell you something and I don't know what's going on!" He blurted.

"Take a breath and tell me what's happening." She gestured for him to sit down and he did so, taking a deep breath and trying to calm down.

"A week ago, someone named Yori came to my house and told me that the council had gotten me a new apartment since I couldn't stay in my house anymore, so I went with him and he helped me get to the apartment. He came back to check on me a few days later and said the council had gotten someone train me. I don't know why but I got a really bad feeling so I told him I would think about it. Then today, another man came to my apartment and said that he was the person the council had assigned to me. He was a little creepy but went away after I told him I wasn't sure if I wanted to be a ninja." He breathed, struggling to get all his thoughts into words.

Nina seemed to consider everything he had just said and her expression soured.

"Naruto, I'm going to ask you to do something you may not like. I need you to accept the Council's offer."

His eyes widened in confusion, he almost wasn't sure if he heard her right.

"But why? I don't want to train with that guy! Besides you're already my sensei!" He was thoroughly confused as to what she was thinking.

"I realize that you may not want to do this, but you must understand that it is so I can help you." She lowered her voice. "They are after the Kyuubi. They want his power, a power that they must not attain. I need for you to get closer to the man they hired and cooperate with whatever he asks you to do. Don't worry, they won't risk hurting you. While the Council is focusing on your progress, I will gather information on what they plan to accomplish and on who that man is. All you need to do is go with what the man tells you."

Naruto thought over her plan and slowly nodded, trusting that she knew what she was doing.

"Ok... so I should accept the offer?"

Nina nodded.

"In case they try anything, just know I'll be close." She reassured him. "Now go home and wait for the man to come back." She patted him on the head and he nodded, turning and heading back to his apartment.

Nina frowned, she hated to put him in a position so close to whoever that undoubtedly dangerous man was. She knew they wouldn't try to hurt him, in fact, there will probably be some anbu assigned to keep an eye on him and make sure he's safe at all times. She knew they were planning some sort of attack or invasion once they had Naruto under their control, but that wouldn't be happening.

"Hey!" Someone was standing in front of Naruto's apartment door. "I was looking for you!" The person waved enthusiastically.

As he drew closer, Naruto saw that it was Yori.

"What're you doing here? Did you need something?" He asked, knowing full well what he was here for.

"Oh, right. I just wanted to ask you to reconsider the training offer. You know the council really thinks you have-"

"I'll do it." His words surprised the man, causing him to blink a few times before giving a wide grin.

"You will? Great! Well I think the Council's going to send the person over sometime tomorrow. I'm sure you'll enjoy your training!" Yori gave him a thumbs up and a small wave before disappearing.

As Yori had said, the man assigned to train Naruto showed up at his door the next day, the same dull black hair and offsetting feel that Naruto had seen the day before.

"I hear you've accepted the offer, in that case, we will begin today. Come." He began walking to an unknown destination and Naruto hesitantly followed.

Not long after, the two stopped in a training field behind the Council's headquarters, a large, plain building with shinobi guarding each and every entrance. Naruto knew that this field was part of the councils reserved property and, at first, was rather confused about why they would be training here. When he remembered what Nina had said about them wanting to control the Kyuubi, things began to make a little more sense.

"First," The man's voice broke through Naruto's thoughts. "We will see how much you know. Throw this at that target." He tossed him a kunai and pointed at one of the red and white ringed targets.

Naruto stepped forward and gripped the kunai, he hadn't practiced in a while. The weapon ended up lodged in one of the outer rings. The man stared at it with an unreadable expression then turned back to Naruto.

"We will start with stances and movement, you won't be able to do anything with what you have now." He stated blandly.

Three hours later, Naruto was completely worn out. The man dismissed him only after seeing that his movements began to get unbearably sloppy. Naruto was now headed back home slowly as his muscles groaned in pain. All he wanted to do was go to sleep, not even having the energy to take a shower, but for a reason he didn't fully understand, he began to head towards the old training field. Along with the tangled grasses and stringy shrubs, Nina greeted him as the field came into view.

"Sensei?" He asked, confused as to why she was here.

"You did well today, that man doesn't seem to go easy on anyone." She said with sympathy in her tone.

"What? You... were watching?" He titled his head. Was she there the whole time?

"I saw your training, yes, don't concern yourself with the details. Anyways, I want to apologize again for this inconvenience on your part, I realize that this man has quite the disciplinary method. I hope you will continue to train under him until I have the information I need to help you." She seemed genuinely troubled by having him train with that man.

"No, no! I mean you're getting information so you can help me, right? Then I don't mind sticking with that guy for a while." Naruto assured.

"Good to hear. I will continue to get whatever information I can, after training you should go straight home, I will call for you when I have news." Nina told him.

"Ok, but how are you going to do that?" He asked.

Nina seemed to crack the slightest smile.

"You'll know. Now hurry home, it won't be long until they notice your absence." She urged with a gentle push.

Naruto nodded and started back towards his apartment. As he ran, he glanced back to see that she was already gone.

'Who did she mean by they?'

* * *

Danzo sat in his office, frowning at the scrolls on his desk. They were dozens of scrolls from the village archives that documented the history of the Uchiha Clan, on those scrolls was every war the clan ever fought in, every major decision they ever made, every leader they've ever had. However, that wasn't what he was looking for. He unrolled another scroll, only to find useless documentation on the events of the First Great Shinobi War. Finding the information he needed was proving to be quite the task. He had even gone as far as to capture and experiment on some Uchiha clansmen and even that yielded nothing worthwhile. How could he gain more information on the Sharingan? What would he have to do to understand? How could he harness its power?

He leaned back in his chair and sighed in frustration.

_Knock knock_

The sound pulled him from his thoughts, he quickly rolled up the scrolls and swept them into one of the drawers before calling out a "come in."

Nishimura opened the door and soundlessly stepped inside, taking a seat in front of the desk.

"What trick are you playing?" He demanded sharply.

"What?" Danzo frowned at his demeanor. "What are you taking about?"

"Have I not made it clear that you are to always tell me the truth regarding my tasks?" He asked, glare hardening.

"Have you reason to believe that I have not?" Danzo questioned.

"The boy is not a civilian." Nishimura stated blandly. "He's had prior training yet I was told he's never known a thing about the ninja world."

Danzo stayed silent for a long while.

"Impossible. The boy never would have had the chance to train." He said, he knew of Kushina's dedication to keeping her son away from anything dangerous and being a shinobi was at the top of that list.

"Are you saying my eyes lied?" Nishimura challenged. "His aim and movements were off but he improved quicker than what is possible for someone without previous training, as if he was only remembering something he's already learned. His chakra was strong and stable, that of an intermediate level shinobi. Chunin, as you call it. He would not have that kind of control without someone having taught him."

Danzo stared at the man, he could tell he wasn't lying.

But what did this mean?

"I guarantee you, Nishimura, the boy hadn't had any prior training as far as we know. But I thank you for this information, I will look into it further. For now, please continue to work with Naruto, keep me updated if anything else comes up." He said smoothly.

Nishimura frowned, not approving of the answer, but stood and left anyways.

Danzo leaned back in his chair, brows creased in a deep frown.

* * *

Months passed and things weren't easy for Naruto. Nishimura, whom he refused to call sensei, did not ease up on the training, each day was a new world of pain and ache and Naruto began dreading his lessons. Though he wasn't fond of the man or his teaching methods, he was improving noticeably: his aim was spot on, his stamina had doubled, and his chakra reserve was growing. Normally he would have been ecstatic that he was improving so fast but he didn't like training this way, he didn't enjoy learning from Nishimura both because of his harsh ways and his cold attitude. Days dragged on and his only redemption was hearing of Nina's findings. She told him about how she found a large stack of documents that recorded most known information on the Kyuubi and its former hosts as well as the old scroll in the elders' conference room that depicted the original sealing ritual for beast among many other discoveries. With each story, Naruto gained a new purpose to endure his harsh training, knowing that by doing his part, he would be helping to protect both himself and the village as well.

Nishimura sat on a branch that overlooked the empty training field, high in the air, arms crossed and waiting patiently. He watched as a woman with long white hair strolled into the field below, he could see that her face was blank and unreadable.

She stopped at the center of the field.

"So tell me, how did you find this place? Could I have miscalculated the position of one of your spies?" She called without looking at him, voice smooth and gentle.

Nishimura smirked and jumped down from the branch, landing not five feet in front of her.

"I'm pretty good at hiding myself, are you a sensory nin?" He questioned as green eyes met blank ones.

She remained silent, eyes blank and waiting for him to answer her question.

Nishimura smirked again.

"No, but you did forget to consider my position. I followed the kid one day and he led me straight to you. But enough about me," His eyes narrowed and glinted dangerously. "Who are you?"

"No one important. You, on the other hand, are quite well known throughout the Great Nations. In Konoha you are called Nishimura, in Suna you are Iseri, in Mizu you are Shimoda, and I can only assume you have many more names. You are a highly wanted man that does business with corrupt officials of the hidden villages." Nina stated. Her research had uncovered dozens of "interactions" between him and the higher-ups of Konoha, though most of the details were omitted.

Nishimura chuckled lightly.

"Impressive, I'm surprised you put it all together. That kind of information isn't easy to find, in fact, only one person has figured out that much before. Poor old man, I thought he would have put up a better fight, having been Hokage and all."

Nina's eyes narrowed and her hand twitched as she understood what he was saying. She forcefully suppressed her chakra that threatened to lash out.

"...Hiruzen." She mumbled solemnly.

Nishimura nodded.

"Yes, I believe that was his name. But anyways, I'll have to take care of you now. And what a shame, I usually don't like to hurt women." He grinned and took a step forward.

Nina stood her ground, her glare not faltering for a second.

He swiftly lunged at her and aimed a punch towards her stomach, she ducked under the fist, effectively dodging the attack and grabbed his arm. Twisting it, he was able to escape her grip and landed a few feet away only to dart forward again, this time with a kunai in hand and aiming for her neck.

Next thing he knew, he was pressed onto the ground with his arms twisted behind him, a cool, sharp sensation rested against his throat. His heart stopped as he felt a shift in pressure on his back, Nina leaned towards his ear and faint whisper drifted to his ears.

"I'll see you in hell."

A swift jerk of the blade and his world was plunged into darkness.


	23. The Visit

"GRANNY TSUNADE!" Naruto burst through the door of the Hokage's office with both Sasuke and Sakura urgently trying to stop him.

"What do you want?" The blonde woman glared at the boy.

This was the third time this week.

"WHY DID YOU GIVE MY FRIENDS ANOTHER B CLASS MISSION?!" He hollered loud enough for the people outside to hear.

"BECAUSE I CAN DO WHAT I WANT!" She yelled back.

His friends sighed, knowing it was no use to try and quiet him. Ever since they had first been introduced, there had been frequent shouting matches between the two blondes to see who was louder. One of them, usually Naruto, would start an argument over something trivial and it would soon become a yelling contest, that is until Tsunade eventually scared Naruto enough to make him run.

"B-CLASS MISSIONS ARE BORING!"

"YOU'RE NOT GOING ON THE MISSION."

"BUT THEY CAN TOTALLY HANDLE A-CLASS ONES!"

"GET OUT BEFORE I CHANGE IT TO C-CLASS." And that was enough to quiet him.

He gave a huff of indignation and turned around, grabbing both his friends by the arm, he pulled them out of the office and didn't stop until they wereoutside the Hokage Tower.

"Naruto, we're fine with B-class missions, you don't have to worry." Sakura chided in exasperation as they sat down on a small bench.

"You'd be a terrible teammate. I feel bad for your sensei." Sasuke commented with a glare.

"Hey! I was just trying to help you guys out! I mean, your last A-class mission went so well! Even Granny Tsunade said so!' Naruto stated defensively.

Sakura sighed loudly.

"You'll get us in trouble if you keep doing that. Can't you speak to her normally? She's the Hokage for heaven's sake." She crossed her arms.

"Whatever, let's just go do something fun before you guys leave tomorrow." Naruto stood up, as did his friends, and they started towards a street known for its entertainment and shopping.

The city was as busy as ever, with the spring festival coming up, everyone was rushing to get their kimonos fitted and their houses decorated. Reds and blues could be seen on the kimonos being sold in every tailor shop and there were hundreds of small stores selling fans and bags and everything imaginable. The dull spirits that had resulted from the controversy with the council a few months ago had long been forgotten and replaced by the joy that came with every festival and celebration.

"So where are you guys going again?" Naruto asked while looking around at the large assortment of lanterns hanging outside of a small store.

"We're heading to Suna to escort some merchants to Konoha, they're coming for the festival, actually." Sakura answered, she was admiring a shop that was filled with bright leaves and blooming flowers.

"They're taking a shortcut through a forest that's known for housing rouge ninja and bandit groups." Sasuke added. "Stupid. They should just take the longer route." He sneered.

"I think Lady Tsunade said something about them not being able to make it in time for the first day if they didn't take the shortcut." Sakura defended. "She was pretty adamant about making sure we would get them here safely, I'm sure the village really benefits from trading with traveling merchants like them." She said thoughtfully.

"How long is it gonna take?" Naruto questioned further.

"Kakashi-sensei said it'll be two days' time to get through the forest, so I'd say maybe three days total?" She looked at Sasuke who nodded in agreement. "Yup, so we'll be back with a few days to spare before the festival starts." Sakura nodded. She picked up a few daisies and brought them up to the cashier to be wrapped, handing the woman a few coins, the pinkette thanked her and headed back to her friends.

Naruto gave a curious glance at the flowers in her hands.

"Who are those for?" He asked.

Sakura glanced cautiously at the Uchiha who stood a few feet away looking at something inside a store.

"Sasuke's brother." Her voice was barely above a whisper and her face was twisted into a troubled frown. "Itachi-san ran into some bad people when he was coming back from a mission." She said so only Naruto could hear.

"What?" Naruto was more than a little surprised to hear that. "But Itachi's so strong! Who was it?" He demanded quietly.

"I don't know, that was all Sasuke told me. We're going to visit gim later today, you can come with us if you want." She offered.

"You bet I'll be coming!" Naruto nodded.

"Great, just keep quiet ok? I don't think Sasuke wants anyone else to know." Sakura said.

"Hey."

The voice made them both jump, whipping around, they saw an unamused Sasuke staring at them.

He eyed them suspiciously.

"What're you two whispering about?"

"Nothing! We were just talking about our plans for the festival." Sakura said as smoothly as possible.

Another odd look was sent their way.

"Whatever. It's getting too crowded here, let's go." He turned and began weaving through the crowd.

With a relieved sigh, Sakura followed after him.

'I wonder what happened...' Naruto thought while heading after the two. 'Must've been someone really strong...'

After an hour of wandering around and talking, Sasuke stood up, stating that he had somewhere to be. He motioned for Sakura to follow and had already bid Naruto goodbye when the pinkette stopped him.

"Oh, um, is it alright if he comes with us?" Sakura asked sheepishly.

The Uchiha turned around and gave her a questioning glare.

"You told him?" He asked sharply, causing her to shift slightly.

"Um, yea..." She trailed off.

There was a moment of silence before Sasuke sighed.

"Fine, let's go." He turned around and started towards the hospital.

Sakura and Naruto exchanged a quick thumbs up and ran to follow him.

The building was painted white from floor to ceiling, the inside smelled of all types of cleaning products and the nurses were hurrying around the halls carrying medicines and clipboards.

"Hello, how may I help you?" A woman with long brown hair greeted them when they approached the front desk.

"I'm here to see Uchiha Itachi." Sasuke said, the woman stood and gestured for them to follow her.

"Of course, I'll bring you to his room."

She lead them up the stairs and past some halls that all looked the same. The door she stopped in front of had the number 220 above its frame. It slid open easily and the woman motioned for the three to enter.

"Uchiha-san, you have guests." She announced before stepping out and closing the door.

"Sasuke, how are you?" Itachi smiled at his brother. There were a few wires connected to him and a soft beeping sound showed that his heart rate was normal. "Nice to see you again, Sakura." He waved.

"This is Naruto, kind of a friend." Sasuke pointed to the other boy.

"Hey!" Naruto exclaimed indignantly.

Itachi chuckled at his brother's antics.

"I remember you too Naruto, you and Sasuke have known each other for a long time, huh?" He smiled, earning a huff from his brother.

The three hung around and chatted with the older Uchiha, talking about whatever came to their minds. Of course, Naruto did most of the talking and Sakura was occasionally able to get a word in. Sasuke remained silent for most of the time.

"It's getting late, we should leave Itachi-san to rest." Sakura spoke up when the sky began to glow orange.

"Thank you both for visiting, be careful on your way back." Itachi waved with a warm smile.

"Let's go." Sakura grabbed Naruto and pulled him out of the room.

Once they stood outside, she glanced back at Sasuke who still sat in his chair.

"I'll catch up with you guys." He waved.

Sakura nodded and dragged the blonde out of the building.

"Hey!" Naruto yelled as he was forcefully pulled out the door and down the stairs. He managed to free his arm when they reached the hospital entrance. "What was that for?!"

Sakura smacked the back of his head.

"Idiot! Give them a second to talk alone!" She scolded.

Naruto huffed quietly.

"Whatever..."

Sasuke sat facing his brother, an unamused expression plastering his face.

"What is it?" Itachi asked, seeing the boy's quizzical stare.

"What really happened?" He questioned. "Why were they there?"

Itachi sighed heavily.

"I don't know, Sasuke. I've already told you everything I saw."

The younger Uchiha clearly didn't accept this answer.

"You expect me to believe they attacked you out of the blue? Everyone knows that people like them never do anything randomly." He stated, crossing his arms.

"You're right, but I don't know what their motive was."

"And it's not being investigated?"

"It is, the intelligence branch is looking into it along with the other similar reports."

"Have they found anything?"

"Not yet. I don't think they know where to start, I doubt anyone does. You know they're difficult to track."

There was silence between the brothers.

"You should get home, it'll be dark soon." Itachi stated, glancing at the setting sun.

Sasuke sighed and stood up.

"I'll be back some time tomorrow." He said, turning towards to leave. "See ya."

The door clicked shut behind him and his footsteps faded down the hallway.

Itachi closed his eyes and leaned back, wincing as a sharp pain shot through his wrist. Those two Akatsuki members were definitely nothing to laugh at. Such a troublesome group they were... He may not have made it out with such minor injuries if it wasn't for  _her_ : that odd woman that appeared out of nowhere.

At first he thought she was an anbu that had been sent as support, but not only did the Hokage never assign backups, but at that point his mission was already over and he was on his way back. Then he thought she could have just been a shinobi who was nearby and heard the commotion, but that didn't seem entirely true either; she wasn't wearing any sort of ninja attire nor was she carrying any weapons on her. Any sane shinobi who was in her situation would have ran and gotten help, but she didn't seem to have a single bit of hesitation in intervening. He barely remembered anything about that woman as he was too focused on bandaging his twisted arm as well as his other more serious injuries, not to mention the pain that tore through every part of his body was distracting to say the least.

He shook his head and locked away the thoughts, he didn't need to think about that right now, what he needed to do was focus on recovering and getting back to his missions. Then he would be able to track down whoever she was.

The room was bathed in a warm orange glow as the sun retired for the day.

* * *

It was around noon one day as Nina glared down at the documents in her hands, she'd found them while searching through the Hokage Tower's file room the day before. Those papers weren't her initial target, in fact she was looking for some information that was much older and in a completely different section in the room. Having failed to find the what she needed, she was on her way to a different room when she noticed something odd in the file cabinet holding the most recent documents. Sliding the top drawer open, she took the paper that had been peeking out and examined it.

Her eyes stopped on a particular name: Uchiha Itachi.

The following lines outlined a simple yet upsetting mission proposal: send the boy undercover to infiltrate the Akatsuki under a different name. A setup was to happen that would leave the village thinking he was dead.

When her eyes reached the bottom, she frowned: were her eyes lying to her?

At the bottom of the last page was, not only the Hokage's seal of approval, but also the woman's signature.

Nina set the papers down and closed her eyes, a heavy sigh could be heard as she pinched the bridge of her nose. Did Tsunade really agree to such a mission? And assigned to someone so young? She hoped there was some sort of misunderstanding that had made her approve of a mission she didn't know the details of. She shook her head and stood from her chair, folding the documents, she tucked them away in her kimono and stepped out of the small wooden house.

* * *

Tsunade sighed as she listened to the ramblings of the elders, the argued over trivial things that were just important enough for them to avoid talking about anything that was actually relevant.

She rested her elbows on the table and closed her eyes.

"Hokage-sama, what do you think?" The voice of the elder seated next to her caught her attention, unfortunately, she had no idea what they were talking about.

"Yes, I agree." She said carefully, hoping that whatever she was agreeing with wasn't too terrible.

"Wonderful! So it's settled, another training area will be added on the academy's property." The man nodded victoriously and changed the subject before anyone could start arguing again. "On to the next issue, the Yamanaka clan requested..."

She tuned out everything else.

Tsunade rubbed her temples as the elders filed out of the room. Three hours of pointless bickering was finally over and, just when she decided to go out for a drink, a knock came at the door.

"Come in." She called with a sigh.

The door opened and in stepped a woman with long white hair, the purple kimono she wore swished at her feet.

"Can I help you?" She asked, in a hurry to leave the place.

"I never thought you would be one to agree to something like this, Tsunade." The woman dropped a folder of papers on her desk.

"Where did you get this? Who are you?" Tsunade demanded, now slightly on edge.

"Where I found this is not of concern. As for who I am..." She paused. "You'll know soon enough. I am not here to threaten you nor do I mean you any harm, but I will ask you to reconsider your decision. Carefully." She stared the Hokage dead in the eye, turned, and left the office, closing the door behind her.

Tsunade was left with a confused frown.

'Who the hell was that?'

* * *

"Lady Tsunade, care to explain why you recalled this mission? I believe we had already decided the Uchiha boy was the best candidate." An elder frowned as she turned to the Hokage.

Her colleagues nodded, none of them were pleased with having their decision changed. Tsunade, however, was perfectly calm and carefully explained why another meeting was being held about the subject.

"To put it simply, the risk is too great. There are plenty of Uchiha who hold high level positions and will have access to the mission files if it were to be finalized. All it'll take is one Uchiha that's more loyal to their clan than the village and everything will be exposed. I'm sure a clan of people as proud as they are won't take too kindly to losing their prodigy."

The room was silent, the elders holding hesitant frowns on their faces. Of course they had considered the possibility of having the information leaked but no one had realized how heavy the consequences would be.

"Very well. We will come up with another plan to gain information on the Akatsuki." One man sighed reluctantly after a long silence.

"I thank you for your time and understanding, you are dismissed." Tsunade nodded to the elders who stood and filtered out of the room. The Senju sighed heavily and slumped in her chair. It was never easy to convince the elders of anything, especially when she didn't have their full confidence yet.

_Tap tap tap_

She turned to see where the sound was coming from.

At the window was a small white pigeon pecking at the glass. A piece of paper was tied to its leg.

'Strange,' Tsunade thought, standing and pushing open the window, letting the bird hop inside. 'Did Kumo's reply get here already?'

Untying the letter, she unrolled it and scanned over its contents.

_Dear Tsunade,_

_I'm happy to see you've chosen to reconsider the mission. Rest assured the change was for the best._

_I do not wish for this to come as a surprise and so I will tell you now; the Akatsuki is on the move. The base that the anbu have recently discovered is not their base, do not enter that cave or you may lose many men. I suggest continuing your search for them in the Northern part of the forest._

_Good luck._


	24. The Attack

"Bye!" Naruto waved to his friends as they grew further from the village gates; their mission began today. "See ya soon!" He shouted. He saw Sakura wave back and give him a thumbs up before the squad of four fully disappeared from sight.

Naruto smiled and turned to head back to the village. It was just past seven at this point so he had some time before training started, maybe he could get some more sleep.

Almost an hour later, Naruto arrived at the training field and, upon spotting Nina, greeted her as he usually did.

Their training started like any other day until something popped into his mind.

"Hey sensei, do you know what kind of stuff they teach at the academy?" He asked while practicing maintaining a steady chakra flow. "I mean I was talking with my friends a few days ago and they were talking about some war that happened in the past, before Konoha was formed. I kinda wanted to know what they were talking about since I haven't really learned any sort of history." He said thoughtfully.

Nina seemed surprised at his curiosity.

"I do have some idea of what the instructors at the academy teach, it may be a little out of date however and they may very well have changed it. History isn't very difficult to learn; it's simply war followed by peace, then again by war. Are you sure you wish to hear about it?" Nina asked questioningly.

Naruto nodded eagerly.

"Well, your friends were likely talking about the time of the Warring States. A period filled with battle after battle and terrible bloodshed. It went on for many years before it finally died down. Remember the story I told you once? The formation of Konoha was the first step in ending the wars. The Warring States period was not a good time to be alive, the clans were fiercely territorial and any outsider found on their land was immediately killed. Actually, one didn't even need to be trespassing to be killed, many were ambushed on their own land by enemy clans. Children were trained as soldiers and sent to the front lines, women feared for their husbands and fathers and brothers and children. Alliances were weak and often filled with mistrust. Raids on smaller, weaker clans were everyday occurrences. It really was a terrible period." She sighed. "When Konoha was formed, it was the first of its kind. After that, similar mass alliances formed, all following what Hashirama and Madara had built here. Battles became rarer and things were peaceful for a while. That was how the Hidden Villages arose." She finished with a nod.

"What happened next?" Naruto asked excitedly.

Nina frowned ever so slightly.

"Of course, times of peace never last and this one was no exception. The First Great Shinobi War started not long after Hashirama and Madara had fought in the Valley of the End, when the second Hokage, Senju Tobirama, Hashirama's brother, was in power. He led the leaf shinobi during the battles between the great nations. However, he was unable to make it out of one particular battle." She closed her eyes and her voice was grim. "It was an ambush and he sacrificed himself for his team. A terrible death but noble nonetheless. He was able to appoint the next Hokage before he died, however."

Naruto nodded, fascination in his eyes.

"Old man Sarutobi?" He reasoned, receiving a nod.

"Hiruzen was young at the time, barely an adult and quite naive, many people doubted his competence and leadership ability. Despite this, he proved time and time again that he was a very capable leader. He rebuilt Konoha, reestablished trade, and restored balance in the village.

"Around twenty years after the war ended, yet another one was sparked, this time over territorial issues: the Second Great Shinobi War. Konoha was at fault for starting this one. This was the war were the Legendary Sanin got their name after a particularly harsh battle. The peace was again shattered and the villages suffered. In the end, things worked out in favor of Konoha and the battles diminished quickly. For a while everything seemed rather calm and peaceful, but what came next was the worst of them all." Nina closed her eyes. "The power of the Five Great Shinobi Nations was declining and it did not go unnoticed by the smaller nations. Seeing their chance to gain land and resources, conflicts arose along the borders of the Great villages, the sparks from these small battles soon fired up another war. The great nations, being considerably weaker than usual at the time, were running low on shinobi. Children barely out of the academy were thrown to the front lines in a desperate attempt to add to their numbers, thousands of people died every day and the land was devastated." She sighed and opened her eyes, a mournful look etched into her face. "Tell me, how old are you now, Naruto?"

He turned his head, disturbed by what he had just been told.

"Oh, I'm 14."

"Ah, then that would have been a little over two decades ago." Her eyes were far away as a shallow breath escaped her lips. "Your friends' sensei, Hatake, he fought in the war as well. Some say one of the missions he led was key in helping Konoha win the war. I don't know the details of that mission, but his teammates did not survive. But regardless of what happened back then, the mission was a success and certainly aided in Konoha's victory." She finished.

"Wait, so has anything happened since then? I mean like another war or something?" Naruto asked, intrigued.

Nina shook her head.

"No wars involving Konoha and only one other significant attack since the end of the Third Shinobi War. I believe that is all the academy teaches about the great wars. Did you hear what you expected?" She asked.

Naruto thought for a second.

"I don't know if I actually expected you would know so much about Konoha's history, you were a traveler up until a while ago, right?" He blinked curiously. "But I'm glad you did!" The boy added quickly.

"I suppose you could say my knowledge comes from a long while of observation. Your clan was very involved with the village during all the great wars, I'm surprised you hadn't heard about them before." She stated.

Naruto scratched his neck sheepishly.

"Heh, well I guess no one really wanted to tell me." He laughed, his eyes suddenly widened as a thought popped into his head. "Hey, sensei, what about your clan?" He asked. Come to think of it, she's never mentioned anything about her family and has never even told him what her surname was. Maybe it was a clan from a different village?

She hesitated noticeably before speaking.

"My clan... used to be very powerful. We were an old line, we existed long before most of the ones today. Of course, time created conflict within our own families and we split into two groups: the main branch and the side branch. I'm not entirely sure what happened after that, the split was the last thing that I heard of from them, I had left for a good number of years by then. All I know is that, in the shinobi world at least, we have branched into at least five separate clans and our name has been lost." She said, eyes showing the slightest hint of sadness, something that Naruto had never thought he would see.

His eyes were glued to the ground as he thought about her story.

"Um, is your clan in a different place? I mean you said your clan doesn't exist in the shinobi nations anymore, but are they somewhere else?" He asked cautiously, feeling a little sad for her.

Nina nodded slowly.

"They now reside in a different land, far away from here." She stated. "Though I'm sure they're doing quite well over there."

Naruto paused before asking another question.

"Do you ever visit them?" He gazed up at the darkening sky, thinking of what that foreign land might look like.

"I haven't and I don't plan to." She stated simply.

Naruto was surprised by this, surely she must miss her clan right? If it were him and he knew where his clan was he would go visit without a second thought.

"Won't your family and friends miss you?" He asked quietly. He could have sworn he saw her smile for a split second.

"I've never known my father or mother, I was raised by an old priestess who passed long ago. As for friends, they have passed as well."

He tilted his head in confusion.

"Your friends could still be alive," He assured her, trying to put on a cheerful smile. "They probably just couldn't contact you from where they live!" He nodded to himself. "Yea, I'm sure they're fine." He turned to glance at her and his smile faded, Nina didn't seem to even consider what he offered to be true.

A short sigh escaped her lips, her face looking as if she had long forsaken the thought that she would ever see her loved ones again.

"Hm, I suppose you could be right." Her eyes were distant. "I think they're alright where they are."

* * *

Two more days passed and Naruto was waiting for his friends to get back. He tapped on the table impatiently, they were supposed to be back that morning but there was still no sign of them. He stared at the clock that hung to his left, ticking softly. 8:58 PM. Maybe he should walk around for a bit.

Naruto grinned as the festival-laden streets came into view, the decorations that lined the roads were almost as bright as the moods of the people walking past them, all filled with anticipation for the upcoming celebration. Chatter and laughter filled the air as he weaved through the busy streets, peeking at all the decorated stores. The sea of colors was almost overwhelming, just about every shade imaginable could be seen on the street, everything was so cheerful that it put Naruto in a better mood almost instantly.

After an hour or so of wandering, Naruto returned home and lay in bed, tired and trying to fall asleep.

'They probably ran into some delay, I hope they're back soon.' He thought with a sigh. 'They better not miss the festival...'

* * *

It was the morning on the first day of the spring festival and excitement was thick in the air, people were rushing around, trying to get their last minute decorating and shopping done. Team 7 had returned early that morning with a large group of merchants behind them. Having safely completed their mission, they were now free to do whatever they wanted. For Sasuke that was heading straight to the hospital to visit his brother and for Sakura it was rushing out with her parents to get her kimono fitted before the festivities started that night.

It was just getting dark when Naruto met up with a group of six friends, they all headed out together, listening to the loud music and making sure that they didn't lose themselves in the crowd.

"Guys! Over here!" One of the boys, Shuu, shouted. He stood near a large crowd that was gathered around a brightly lit stage.

A man stood at the center, around him were water dragons and fire eagles and all types of dazzling creatures. They twirled and danced gracefully, sometimes even flying into the crowd, earning more cheers from the audience. Though the people watching were mostly civilians, the tricks impressed Naruto too.

"I wonder what kind of jutsu that is..." He thought aloud.

"Guys, I'm hungry, let's go get something to eat!" Sakura suggested.

Everyone nodded and, after some debate, decided to head towards one of the stands selling grilled fish.

After grabbing what they wanted from the vendor, they continued to walk around, looking at the different performances and activities, all the while keeping an eye out for good food stands.

The first explosion was a little too quiet for everyone to hear.

The second was what caused the whole village to stop and turn. Everyone was frozen in place until an anbu wearing a tiger mask passed over them.

"This is an order from the Hokage! Get inside the nearest building and do not leave until you are instructed to do so! All jonin must report to the Hokage Tower immediately!" He shouted then dashed away to spread the message.

That was when the panic began.

People pushed and shoved to get inside any building they could reach, families struggled to keep together through the confusion, stores and nearby buildings quickly opened their doors to receive the wave of civilians desperate to shelter themselves from whatever had caused those explosions. The shinobi who had been enjoying the festival were now dashing towards the Hokage Tower, joining the dozens who already stood outside the building.

"Everyone remain calm!" Tsunade commanded. "There has been a breach in our walls! Two Akatsuki members are in our village and we must capture them immediately!"

Worried glances spread through the crowd as the shinobi heard her words.

"Everyone, spread out to search for them, anyone who finds anything will report directly to me, do not attempt to capture them alone! Be careful!" She commanded.

Ignoring their hesitation, everyone nodded firmly and dispersed.

* * *

A sharp cracking noise sounded as a man's neck was snapped, he stood still for a split second before collapsing to the ground. The person that stood behind him was tall and bony, he wore torn white rags and a mask covered his face. Turning his head, he saw a woman who was trying to get a group of children into a building, he darted towards her with jerky movements and shattered the glass door, the screams of the children and adults did not seem to faze him. He scanned the faces of the people, or rather, the children, inside and, after a short moment of staring at the group huddled in the corner, turned and jumped out of the building. The confusion and shock that hung over those inside quickly turned to relief, they let out heavy breaths and were even able to crack a few thankful smiles.

A second later, another explosion sent a jolt through the earth.

"Guys! Where are you?!" Naruto shouted, frantically trying to push his way through the panicking crowd. In the chaos, he had lost sight of his friends, the people around him were rushing to find some other shelter now that the closer buildings were filled, many were hoping they could make it to their homes while others were trying to find the friends and families that they too had lost sight of.

A loud crack came from above. A second later, a large piece of concrete came crashing down.

Naruto ducked into a store that still had its doors open and joined the dozens of people hiding inside.

"Get in!" The owner yelled while beckoning a few more people inside.

* * *

A short man stood on a small white bird as it flew just above the village, he wore a black cloak around his shoulders with red clouds scattered across its surface. He leapt off the bird, landing next to a large, hunched figure wearing the same cloak.

"Brat. Didn't I tell you to wait until I checked for the kid? Can you not understand simple directions?" The hunched man spoke in a deep, annoyed voice.

"Hey, didn't you already check that section, un?"

The glare he received was clearly a no.

"Besides, the bombs I'm using are tiny, un! They couldn't kill a jinchūriki." He waved casually.

"If you want to keep your head the kid better stay alive." He stated.

The taller man chuckled and jumped back onto the bird.

"Got it!" He called before disappearing behind a building.

* * *

"Lady Tsunade." An anbu appeared, his tone grim.

"What is it?" The woman asked with an apprehensive frown.

"There have been reports of strange human-like beings in the village, they are killing anyone who tries to stop them. Their movements are strange and they seem to be looking for something." He reported.

Tsunade's frown deepened and her hands clenched.

"Get the others." She demanded and quickly dismissed him with a wave. The anbu bowed disappeared.

Five minutes later, the door to her office swung open and six people entered the room.

"What is it Tsunade-sama?" One of the council members asked as everyone stood in front of her desk.

"You all heard the report, yes?"

They nodded.

"It occurred to me that they could be puppets, perhaps controlled by Sasori of Suna."

The men and women frowned as they considered the explanation.

"I think Hokage-sama could be right. We don't know which of the Akatsuki are in the village but Sasori could very well be one of them." One of the old women nodded.

"Then what are they looking for?" A younger man asked.

Everyone thought for a moment until Danzo spoke up.

"The nine tails."

Everyone turned to look at him.

"They want the jinchūriki."


	25. The Akatsuki

A small white bird glided smoothly over the buildings of Konoha, giving a perfect view of the chaos underneath: the empty streets covered with rubble, wisps of smoke rising from decimated houses, pieces of buildings cracked off and jagged, and the frantic behavior of the shinobi who were out looking for the two responsible for all of it. Once they had noticed the bird, groups of jonin and anbu worked together to try and force it down, from mud bullets to fireballs, just about everything had been launched at the flying nuisance. Eventually, a jolt of lightning from one of the shinobi struck the wing of the bird and it came crashing down, just barely missing the academy building. Dozens to ninja immediately surrounded the fallen bird, cautiously waiting for its rider to emerge.

"Be careful! We don't know how powerful he may be." One of the jonin warned.

Once the dust from the crash cleared, a figure could be seen walking out of the wreckage. The man was blonde with one eye hidden by his hair, a frown was plastered on his face as he approached the shinobi.

"Some Konoha nin want to fight me, hmm?" His eyes glinted and a smirk spread on his lips. "Bring it, un."

* * *

The streets were completely abandoned except for those strange human-like beings that crept from building to building. They would break open the doors and, disregarding the ear-piercing shrieks, scanned the faces of the civilians and children huddling in the rooms. Upon not finding what they were looking for, they would leave and move on to the next building, house, or store. If anyone was brave, or rather, foolish enough to attack the creatures, they would be killed quickly and without pity. Sometimes it was stabbing, other times it was decapitation, other times still it was slicing. Though the beings didn't seem to have the goal of killing, they certainly showed no hesitation in doing so if someone was in their way.

Naruto was hiding under a desk with a few other children when he spotted a familiar face out of the corner of his eye. Near the back wall was a girl with short blue hair, knees drawn to her chest and body shaking.

He hurried over to her and tapped her on the shoulder. She jumped a little and whipped her head around to look at him. She relaxed a little when she recognized him and even managed a small smile.

"Hey, Hinata, are you ok?" He asked, concerned.

"I-I can't find my f-father." She pulled her legs closer to herself. "I-I came to the festival w-with him and m-my cousin and I... I can't find them!" She cried.

He was stunned, what was he supposed to do? Maybe try and comfort her?

"It's ok, we can find them after this is over. I'm sure things will be fine." He assured her shakily.

"R-really?" Her shaking began to lessen.

He nodded with a smile.

"Yea! The anbu and jonin are super strong! The bad guys have no chance against so many of them!"

Hinata smiled softly and nodded in agreement.

**_Bam_ **

Everyone jumped and looked towards the door. There stood an expressionless, hunched woman with sickly pale skin, she stepped into the small store and swept her glassy eyes across the frightened civilians.

Naruto was frozen like everyone else, that is, until his heart stopped when her gaze landed on him. His entire body became paralyzed as she began a rythymless, crooked walk towards him. She stopped in front of him and reached a thin, pale hand down towards him. She grabbed his neck and lifted him up with inhuman strength then turned and walked out of the building, his struggling seemed to have no effect on her.

"Naruto!"

She had just stepped out of the doorway when a voice screamed for him from behind. He glanced back and saw Hinata running towards him. His gut told him to stop her but all he could do was yell.

"Stay away Hinata!" It came out more like a croak.

She didn't hear him.

The woman grasping Naruto's neck turned to look at the girl who was running full speed at them. With her expressionless mask still in place, she unsheathed a small dagger behind her back. The moment the girl came into arms reach, she thrust the blade forward.

Naruto squeezed his eyes shut and turned away instinctively, he could only brace himself for the scream.

Except there was no scream. Instead of the sickening blade-to-flesh sound that Naruto was dreading, the sound that came was the screech of metal against metal. He opened his eyes to see a blur of white and, next thing he knew, he was on the ground. Quickly regaining his composure, he quickly stood up and scurried a safe distance away. Looking to his right, he saw that Hinata was a few feet away from where she stood a second ago. He rushed towards her and pulled her away, she was visibly shaken and kept a tight grip on his arm.

"Are you ok?" He asked frantically.

She nodded very slowly, almost as if she herself were unsure.

Naruto turned back to the sickly looking woman and, to his shock, saw that she was locked in battle with someone else.

"Sensei!"

Both women used a short blade and they moved with such speed that it was difficult to follow. With a single quick swipe, Nina cut the woman's head off. No blood was seen as it toppled to the ground.

Everything was still for a moment before the head twitched and began rolling. It moved behind the still upright body and stopped.

A split second later, Nina had blocked the jab of the headless woman's dagger. The body continued moving as quickly as it had before, swiping and ducking as if it was fully intact. It wasn't until Nina jumped behind the headless woman that the body suddenly collapsed to the ground, this time it remained motionless.

She stared at the fallen body with no sign of pity.

"What a nuisance, those chakra strings." She muttered before walking over to Naruto and Hinata. "Are you two alright?" She asked softly.

Naruto was in shock. What in the world had just happened? How did the head start moving in its own? What in heaven's name was going on?

"I'll explain later, for now we must hurry. There will be others coming for us soon." She turned and started towards an unknown direction.

"W-Wait! Where are we going?" Naruto demanded as he ran to catch up, Hinata running after him.

"We must hide. They are looking for you." She stated.

"What? But why? Who?" He blurted out.

"I'll explain later." She repeated. She glanced back at Hinata and continued without a word.

* * *

"Inside." Nina instructed as they reached a small wooden house, they were far away from most of the village in an area that was sparsely used.

"Wait, this house?" Naruto asked. He recognized this house, this was the one that had the rumor about a witch that lived there.

"Inside." She repeated more firmly.

Naruto gulped and quickly opened the door to the house, motioning for Hinata to follow him.

Five minutes later, the door opened again and Nina entered the small cabin. Naruto looked up from his chair and the questions immediately began.

"Sensei what's happening? Who's causing all the explosions?" He asked.

Nina took a seat on the edge of her bed and let out a breath before answering.

"The village is under attack and the Akatsuki are the ones responsible. Two members entered the village gates a while ago." She explained.

"What did that woman want?" He asked again.

"That woman was not what you think she was. She was not alive. One of the Akatsuki members uses a type of technique called puppetry, controlling puppets from a distance using chakra strings."

It took a minute for Naruto to process this.

"She... she was a... puppet?" He was absolutely shocked. "What are the Akatsuki doing here?"

"Considering the puppet attacked you specifically, I would say that they're after you."

Again Naruto was stunned.

"...me? But why?!"

"More specifically, they want the Kyuubi inside you. I don't know what their intentions are but it must involve using its power for their own benefit. Most likely they are planning to harness its abilities in one way or another. That's why I brought you here, you must stay safe until they're taken care of. Of course, you are welcome to stay as well, Hyūga-san." She turned to Hinata who jumped at the mention of her name. "Speaking of the Akatsuki," Nina stood up and walked over to the door. "I must go help take care of them. I set a barrier around this place so no one will be able to enter while it's up. Do not leave. I will be back soon." She instructed before leaving and closing the door behind her.

Naruto and Hinata sat in silence as they both tried to understand what was happening

"...are you hurt, Naruto-kun?" Hinata asked quietly, her hands were trembling ever so slightly.

Naruto shook his head.

"I'm ok, what about you?" He asked. "You must be pretty scared, what happened back there and all..."

"No I'm fine!" She reassured quickly.

A silence settled between them again.

"Um... do you know that lady, Naruto-kun?" She asked quietly.

"Hm? Oh yea, she's my sensei. She's really cool." He smiled as cheerfully as he could.

"Oh, she seems nice." She said with a small smile.

"Yea, and she's strong too, I learned a lot of stuff from her." As he shifted in his chair, something under the desk caught his eye. He leaned sideways to get a better look at it and saw that it was a book. It had a leather cover and seemed to be very old. There was something written on the cover that he couldn't quite make out from where he was.

He hopped off the chair and squatted down to get a better look, Hinata mimicked his movements and knelt next to him.

"What does it say?" She asked softly, tilting her head at the old book.

Naruto squinted.

"The... O...tsut..suki Clan?"

* * *

Nina quickly made her way through the village, her eyes focused on the streets below for either of the people responsible for the attack. She had been so focused on the ground that it wasn't until something zipped past her that she realized one of them had to be in the air in order to drop the bombs. She turned to look at what had flown past her and, to her surprise, it was a large, oddly shaped bird. The person standing in its back didn't seem to notice her. She assessed her options: would she take care of the bomber or the puppetmaster first? She reasoned that the latter already knew that Naruto was gone but the one with the bird didn't seem to have realized it yet. They may decide to bomb the whole village if they knew Naruto was far enough away to stay uninjured, and with that in mind, Nina settled to deal with the bomber first. She pushed herself off of the roof of a nearby building and landed softly on the tail of the bird.

The man seemed to notice the shift of weight and glanced behind him.

"Not another one un..." He sighed. "Hey! What do think you're doing?" He yelled at her. He frowned when there was no reply. "I don't like to hurt girls, but if you get in my way you'll end up just like your friends, hmm."

They both fell silent and stared each other down. Then in an instant, she vanished.

"Eh?" He glanced around, but she found him before he found her.

A hard kick to the back sent him flying forward and he was barely able to grab hold of the bird's tail before he fell off. Pulling himself back onto the still flying creature, he reached a hand into the pouch at his side. He almost couldn't see her as she dashed towards him and before he knew it, his free hand had blocked the punch that was aimed at his face. She flipped back and he wasted no time in charging at her with a kunai in hand. The attack missed as she ducked under his arm and grabbed a hold of it. With a good twist, the man was sent off the edge of the bird.

"What the hell!" He yelled as he plummeted through the air.

The bird immediately went diving after him, Nina stumbled in surpise but was able to stay on its back. She pulled a few slips of paper out and stuck them onto the creature's back. She jumped off and landed on the roof of the hospital a few meters below.

An enormous explosion made everyone flinch and look in its direction, the people who dared to take a look outside saw small pieces of what seemed to be clay showering down from the sky.

A loud crash was heard as Deidara hit the ground, large cracks forming beneath him.

"Ugh..." He groaned, sitting up and rubbing his head. He looked up to see the same woman standing a few feet in front of him. "Hey! What was that for?!" He demanded.

"Brat, couldn't you even keep your poor excuse for art flying?" A voice from behind him growled.

"Sorry, Sasori un. Ran into some trouble." The blonde stated as he stood up.

The man named Sasori didn't seem very pleased, but this time he was looking at Nina.

"You're the one who broke my chakra strings." He stated with what must have been a glare. "Let's see if you're good enough to join my collection." From behind the hunched man appeared a puppet with vivid blue hair, it charged at her with unblinking eyes and stunning speed. A stream on tiny senbon needles shot out of the puppet's sleeve, flying faster than eyes could follow.

Nina jumped up, managing to avoid all of them except one that tore the hem of her sleeve. She dashed towards the puppet and when they were close enough, it swung an arm at her. She ducked and ran straight passed it, her eyes locked with the puppetmaster's. Her stare was broken by another puppet that appeared before her, it drew the sword from its side and slashed at her neck. Jumping to the side, she dodged the blade and tried to knock it out of its grip, only to be stopped by its other hand. She turned her arm to grip its wrist and kicked the elbow, effectively snapping the arm in half. Knowing that the injury wouldn't deter it for long, she slipped past it and again headed for the one named Sasori. Only he wasn't there. The spot he had just been was empty. In her moment of hesitation, the second puppet lunged forward with its sword and plunged it into her back.

For a moment, everything was still before she vanished into a puff of smoke. When it cleared, she was gone.

A loud cracking noise was heard right before Sasori jumped out from a tree, Nina emerging after him. They both landed on the ground, facing each other with obvious distaste. Wasting no time, she dashed towards him, he dodged a kick and ducked under a punch and managed to avoid all of her attacks. With the rustling of his cloak, a long, bony tail emerged and swung at her legs. She jumped and lunged at him again. The tail blocked her way as it jabbed at her neck, shuriken flying out of its sides. She knocked away all the blades that came near her and, with a chakra infused fist, struck the tail as it swung towards her.

**_Snap_ **

The end of the tail clattered to the ground.

Everything seemed go quiet.

After a long moment of silence, Sasori pulled back and the tail retreated, disappearing behind him again. Though she couldn't see his face, he seemed to frown.

He turned and began walking, or rather, dragging himself, away. Nina stared at the short, hunched form of the man as he returned back to his partner who had just finished constructing another large clay bird identical to the one that had been destroyed.

"Brat. We're leaving." Sasori stated as he jumped onto the bird.

The blonde stared at him questioningly.

"What, un? But we haven't got- ?"

"Now."

The blonde frowned, clearly not agreeing with the man, but jumped onto the back of the bird nonetheless.

"Fine, but you're explaining it to Master, hm." He said. The bird suddenly came to life, flapping its wings and throwing up dust as it rose up and flew away, soon completely disappearing from sight.

* * *

"What happened?!" Tsunade yelled at the assembled jonin. "Why didn't any of you intervene?! The woman could have been a civilian!"

The shinobi didn't dare look her in the eye, but one of them had the courage to speak up.

"Lady Tsunade, the woman was undoubtedly a shinobi, and a skilled one too, she was able to d-"

"Quiet!"

The man immediately fell silent.

"I don't care if she was a shinobi, she's not one of our own and it wasn't her responsibility to drive off the Akatsuki! None of you did your job today, instead you let what may have been a foreign kunoichi do it for you!"

No dared to make a sound.

"Get out!" She yelled.

The jonin quickly shuffled out of the office, eyes glued to the ground the whole way.

Tsunade sighed angrily and sat back in her chair with arms crossed. An anbu wearing an owl mask appeared in front of her, kneeling respectfully.

"Report." He stated evenly.

Tsunade sighed again and pinched the bridge of her nose.

"What?" She demanded.

"Our members reported feeling as if they were under a genjutsu while surveying the interactions between the Akatsuki members and the woman. The Investigations Branch confirmed that a genjutsu had been casted over the area surrounding the battle." He informed monotonously.

Tsunade crossed her legs and rested her head in her hands.

"So we don't know what she really looks like. Or if she was even a woman." The Senju stated tiredly. "Well this is just great."

"However," The anbu spoke again. "The genjutsu seems to have been casted hastily and may have skipped over some of the civilians in the nearby buildings."

This caused her to look up.

"So if someone who was unaffected had been looking outside..." She mumbled slowly. "Then we could get information on who the person really was!" She quickly stood up and began scribbling something down. After a minute of concentration, she handed the paper to the anbu member. "Start organizing a interview of all the civilians in the buildings surrounding the battle areas, they should still all be inside so hurry!" She commanded.

"Yes, ma'am." The man bowed and disappeared, paper in hand.

Tsunade turned and looked out at the village, a worried frown plastered on her face. She stared at the broken streets and torn buildings. She watched as civilians began peeking out doors and windows, seeing if it was finally safe to come out. She saw shinobi in green vests dash around the village and console those who were scared while tending to anyone who had been injured.

Among the waves of anger and frustration, one thought stood out.

'This won't happen again. They'll pay.'


	26. The Exceptions

Naruto and Hinata both whipped towards the door when they heard it click open.

"Sensei! Are the Akatsuki gone?" Naruto asked hopefully.

"Indeed, and you are free to go as well." Nina stated with an expression that wasn't as happy as it should have been.

Releived, he and Hinata let out a breath that they didn't know they were holding and hopped off their chairs.

"Oh, wait!" Naruto said suddenly. "Sensei, Hinata said she lost her dad and cousin when everyone was rushing for shelter. Do you think you could help her find them? I'm not very good at looking for people..." He scratched the back of his neck, a little embarrassed.

Nina glanced at the younger girl who looked away nervously.

"Of course." She said, opening the door and stepping out of the house, the two following behind her.

They began heading for the area around where the festival had been taking place. By now, it was three in the morning, just a few minutes after the Akatsuki's escape, and some people were already coming out of hiding. The anbu had just made the announcement that the intruders had been taken care of and that it was safe to go home, people were searching for their friends and families that they had lost sight of among all the panic.

"Hinata-san, might I ask you where you last saw your father?" Nina inquired, scanning the crowds from afar.

"U-um, I-I think it was a-around the Kintai shrine..." The girl said, hands fidgeting nervously.

Nina nodded and motioned for them to follow her, she jumped up onto a high roof and started in the direction on the shrine.

Once the large, decorated shrine came into sight, they glanced at any surrounding buildings that may have acted as shelter.

"Hinata-sama!" A voice called from below. They looked down to see a boy around the same age as Naruto and Hinata. He leapt up onto the same ceiling where they stood.

"Your father is looking for you! We must-"

"Hinata." Another voice joined them, this one was deeper and held a very displeased tone.

"Outou-sama!" Hinata squeaked.

The man frowned deeply as he glared at the girl.

"Did we not speak about leaving my sight without permission?" He shot her a warning glare, as if daring her to talk back to him.

Hinata's eyes were glued to the roof tiles beneath her feet as she fidgeted uncomfortably.

"I-I-I..."

"If I may interrupt, Hyuuga-san, your daughter was looking for you the moment the anbu announced that the threat was taken care of. You must understand she was only trying to protect herself, as I'm sure you would too." Nina stated.

Hinata's eyes widened as the man's cold stare turned to the white haired woman. He glanced over her for a moment before speaking.

"With all due respect, I would ask you to stay out of family business." He stated with about as much respect as a wealthy merchant would have for a beggar.

"With all due respect, Hyuuga-san, I would ask you to rethink what kind of mindset you hold if you believe obeying your demands is more important than your daughter's safety."

Both Naruto and the other boy tensed and stepped back as if expecting a fight to break out. Hinata could barely move through her trembling.

"But then again, that's none of my business." She stated with a cold smile.

"U-um, s-sensei, do you think we should leave now?" Naruto asked nervously, he wasn't sure if he should even be saying anything right now.

"I suppose we should." Nina said smoothly, she turned to the taller man. "Pleasure meeting you, Hyuuga-san." She stated before both she and Naruto disappeared.

"Sensei, why'd you do that?" Naruto asked when they reappeared just outside of the village center.

The woman didn't glance at him as she began walking.

"What do you mean?" She asked.

"Everyone knows that Hinata's dad is super scary and no one likes to argue with him." He stated. "Aren't you worried he won't like you?"

Nina chuckled quietly, surprising Naruto as well as slightly worrying him.

"Umm, are... are you ok, sensei?" He asked, he had never seen her laugh at anything before, much less at something that wasn't supposed to be funny.

"How much does acceptance matter to you, Naruto?" She continued to stare straight ahead as she continued. "If what you say is true, then he is the kind of person who tries much too hard to use power and intimidation to establish superiority. I know the type." A certain Uchiha came to mind as she spoke. "Though it may not mean that he is completely unreasonable. Holding the title of Head of Clan often comes with a world of pressure to deal with, so try to see him as a person instead of an intimidating figure. Especially if you wish to remain friends with Hinata." Nina finished as they reached the more populated section of the village. "This is as far as I can take you, I'm sure you will make it home safely. Try to get some rest." She nodded a goodbye and began walking back in the direction they came from and, in just a few moments, she had disappeared from sight.

* * *

The next morning, most shops and workplaces were closed due to the disaster of the day before. Hundreds of volunteers roamed the streets, some were moving pieces of rubble and others were repairing buildings. Officials has estimated that things would be up and running in less than a week.

Sakura and Sasuke's squad, along with dozens of others, had been assigned to help with the cleanup effort. They had been put in charge of cleaning up the area next to the First Conference Hall and Naruto decided to tag along. After all, Nina had cancelled their training that day and he didn't have anything else to do.

He waved at his friends as they came into view and together they began moving the large pieces of cement that had fallen during the attack.

* * *

Nina silently slipped into the Hokage's office, closing the door behind her. She scanned the room and began searching through all the papers that were piled on the desks. There were documents about the ongoing interactions with neighboring countries, predicted economic growth, plans for a change in the achademy curriculum: everything she didn't need.

When she got to the Hokage's desk, she frowned at the mess of papers on and around the table.

'She never was the most organized child...' Nina recalled seeing toys scattered around in a similar fashion when the Senju was younger. She paused as she noticed something very brightly colored under all the white papers. Picking it up, she saw that it was a red folder with the word "Akatsuki" labelled across the front in bold lettering.

Opening the folder, the first page she saw was what seemed to be the dialoge from an interview. Upon closer inspection, she realized it was an interview about the attack yesterday. She turned to the next page: the same thing. She turned to the next page: the same thing. There were dozens and dozens of papers recording what had been said during numerous interviews. They all included names and numbers labeled at the top of them. This wouldn't be too out of the ordinary had she not read the questions they asked.

_Which building were you taking shelter in?_

_Did you see someone fighting either of the Akatsuki members?_

_Did they seem to be winning or losing the battle?_

_Can you give a description of the person?_

_What kind of jutsus was the person using?_

Nina stopped when she got to the fifth page. She slid back out of the room with the folder in her hands, making sure that everything else was where she had found it.

* * *

The woman shut the door behind her as she stepped into the small wooden house. She set the folder down on her desk and began reading over the papers once again.

There was page upon page of the same questions asked to different people. There were all kinds of responses yet she noticed that they all fell into three distinct groups. The first and largest group were those that simply said no when they were asked if they had witnessed the battles and that was the end of the interview; then there was the group that said they had seen the battle but couldn't give descriptions of any of the people they saw; then the last and smallest group was the people who said they saw the battle and were able to give descriptions of who they had seen.

So far, the few that fell into the last group had given very vague, incorrect descriptions of herself, just as she had intended by casting that genjutsu. The person they thought they saw was a middle-aged woman with dark red hair, wearing a black cloak that covered most of her body. Of course, that was the description that the witnesses gave.

Nina flipped another page after she was finished reading, but what greeted her next made her blood run cold.

_"A young woman with white hair, long white hair."_

_"Maybe in her twenties."_

_"She wore some kind of kimono, definitely not anything fit for battle."_

_"I don't think I saw a forehead protecter."_

An exact description of her appearance was printed on the sheet of paper before her.

Impossible.

Had this person broken through her genjutsu?

No. The paper says the man is a civilian.

Had he been out of its reach?

No. No one outside its radius could have seen her.

She assessed every possible reason that could explain how he had seen her real appearance but none of them seemed to be reasonable.

One more idea came to mind, but this one was difficult to swallow.

Could her genjutsu have missed him?

If it was true then could it have skipped over other people as well?

Gripping that thought with a nervous hand, Nina began hastily flipping through the papers. She had to find any others that knew her true appearance.

* * *

The sun had already set by the time Tsunade's meeting was over. Tiredly, she dragged herself into her office and plopped down on the seat in front of her desk. A heavy sigh could be heard as she moved the papers that were strewn across the table, picking up a thick orange folder. She opened it and pulled out the paper that was tucked in the very back and scanned it over for the hundredth time.

_The individual seen by the villagers is almost certainly a woman, however, the specific description of this woman is unclear. There are two versions that have been described by the witnesses, the only common aspect was the gender of the individual._

_As of yet, the Investigations Squad believes the less common description is likely the more accurate of the two, although civilian manipulation and error must also be taken into account. A lookout notice for women of both described appearances will be given to all shinobi, however, only jonin and anbu members may know the reason as to these notices._

_The situation must not be known to the public._

Tsunade sighed and shoved the paper back into the folder.

"Im too tired for this." She mummbled. Even though she hadn't read the interviews yet, just the thought of having to sort all this out was giving her a headache. "I'll deal with this tomorrow." She promised as she pushed herself off her chair and left the Tower, trying hard to keep from thinking about the issue as she headed home.

* * *

"Hey sensei." Naruto greeted as he arrived at the training field the next day. He seemed a little less enthusiastic than usual.

"Good morning. We will pick up where we last left off, the topic of genjutsu." She stated. She would always give some background and information about what he was going to learn before he actually learned it. They had made this a habit and Naruto always looked forward to hearing her lessons and, when he prodded her enough, her stories as well.

"Genjutsus can be very powerful and very dangerous if the user casts a good one. It is, in its bare form, simply an illusion. However, a well-done illusion can feel more real than reality. These are important jutsus to know, especially if your opponent is stronger than you. As long as they cannot escape the genjutsu, you will have the upper hand. Now, let's begin. We will start with a simple one, copy my seals." She said. Bringing her hands up in front of her, she began forming hand signs without sending chakra to them.

Tiger, rabbit, tiger, hawk, dog, snake, bull.

Naruto mimicked her motions. Suddenly, he felt a bit dizzy and he stumbled back. When he regained his footing, he looked up at Nina.

"Did I- sensei?" There was no one there.

Everything seemed normal, the same trees, same vines, same field. Everything except for the fact that Nina had vanished.

"...sensei?" He called hesitantly. "Are you here?" He suddenly felt a strange sensation in his arm, he looked down to see that there was nothing there. When he looked up again he nearly jumped back in surprise. Nina stood right in front of him, a slightly concerned expression on her face. "Sensei! What- Where did you go?!"

"Nowhere. That genjutsu makes the target believe that certain people around them have disappeared. You must have casted it on yourself." She stated, slightly amused.

"I did? Heh..." He rubbed the back of his neck, an embaressed smile on his face. "Sorry about that..."

"No need to apologize. I didn't tell you who to direct the jutsu towards, I suppose it simply defaulted to yourself. That must have been quite confusing." She smiled softly. "Take a moment to collect yourself if you need to."

Naruto shook his head vigorously.

"No no! I'm fine!" He reassured. "Let me try again, I can do it." He stated, getting into position and focusing his chakra flow.

"If you insist. Try to aim for me this time." She stated. With a nod, Naruto speedily formed the correct hand seals and concentrated, eager to get it right this time.

Nina stood still for a moment before turning to look at him.

"You did well." She complimented. "Now, let's learn a few more."

* * *

Hours later, the sun was halfway down the horizon by the time Naruto made it home. Apparently, practicing genjutsus drained chakra fast. He had been so tired that he spent almost an hour laying on the grass after training ended, catching his breath and restoring some chakra. He had learned a large number of genjutsus and would have kept practicing if it wasn't for Nina who refused to let him. At first, he had complained about needing to perfect the jutsus, but soon the fatigue hit him and he begrudgingly agreed.

'Tomorrow I'll practice some more!' He promised himself. A growl coming from his stomach made him realize how hungry he was. 'But first I should eat something!'

* * *

Nina stared at the three pieces of paper laid out in front of her. These three simple pieces of paper held the information that had been giving her headaches for the past two days.

How was it possible that they were unaffected by her genjutsu? It wasn't anything by their own doing as two of the three people named on the documents were civilians, so what did she do wrong? She had been going over every step of her casting process and couldn't think of any place where she could have faltered. She had done everything correctly.

Right?

Nina let out a slow breath and looked at the papers once again.

The names had surprised her at first, there was no pattern as to who these people were. One was a shopkeeper, the other was a cook, and the last was a shinobi. They didn't have anything in common nor was it likely that they knew each other at all. This only confirmed that it was something on her part that caused the jutsu to skip over them.

Her gaze shifted to the paper on the left side, this one documented the interview of the only shinobi who had seem her true appearance, he seemed to remember a particularly large number of things about her.

_"She didn't use any chakra, only taijutsu."_

_"I would say she's a foreign shinobi."_

_"I could not sense her presence, she hid it well."_

_"She was fast enough to match the Akatsuki member's speed."_

Nina stared at the words, she knew there was little chance they would look into his claims too much as there was so little to go on. However, in the off chance that they decide to start a search, she would have to be extremely careful in hiding her identity. It seems that she would also have to be more cautious around Hinata in the future, after all, her father was one of three people who knew what she really looked like.


	27. The Goodbye

Naruto stared at Sakura in disbelief.

"Are you sure?" He asked, hoping that his ears had tricked him.

Sakura gave him a concerned frown.

"Yea, I heard it from Kakashi-sensei yesterday. Are you ok? You look a little pale." She said.

"No I'm fine." He quickly shook his head. "I was just thinking of something. Anyways, I gotta go. See you later Sakura!" He called back as he hastily headed in the opposite direction.

Naruto shook his head. That couldn't be right. She must've gotten something wrong, maybe she got mixed up? Yea, that's it...

* * *

It was the third day after the attack and repair was still underway. Naruto was again helping his friends clean up the rubble left by the bombings. Nina had cancelled training again today, it was a little odd as this was now the third day in a row but he figured that maybe she was helping clean up somewhere in the village too. After all, there was still plenty to do and most businesses were still closed.

* * *

Twelve people sat around a large oval table. Papers that showed graphs and statistics were spread out in front of them.

"The Investigations Branch has not found anything on the Akatsuki's movements or activities. They seem to be laying low until this all blows over." A man in his forties started, staring at a file that held information gathered from around the Land of Fire. "How are we to track them down if we don't know where they are?"

"That's what we've been asking for years." An elderly woman commented bluntly.

"Yes, but now we have something new that could lead us straight to them." Danzo, one of the men seated next to the Hokage, stated.

"You're talking about the woman who fought them off." Tsunade mused.

"Whoever she was, she had a reason to engage with the Akatsuki. It's clear that she was not one of us, meaning she had some other connection to either the village or the Akatsuki. If we're lucky and it turns out to be the latter, investigating her identity could give us valuable information on the organization." He explained. It didn't take long for everyone to nod in agreement. Everyone, that is, except a young man with bright green hair.

"But we then have the same problem. Where do we start in finding her? She could be anywhere by now, not to mention we still don't know what she really looks like." The man said, furrowing his brow in frustration.

"Chances are she's probably very close. Maybe even in Konoha." The head of the interrogation squad thought aloud.

Everyone turned to look at her.

"And why would she stay when she knows we're looking for her?" The young man challenged.

"Well, my theory is that she has some connection to both the village and the Akatsuki. If she didn't have a history with both, she probably wouldn't have interfered in the way she did. If that's true, she would probably want to stick around until she's sure the village is back to normal and running smoothly. If I'm wrong, then there's no doubt that she's already long." She concluded bluntly.

There was a moment of silence.

"What does that mean for us?" Tsunade questioned with a frown.

The woman leaned back in her chair and crossed her legs, shrugging.

"It means that we'll either find her in the village or we won't find her at all. Simple as that."

Everyone's expressions deepened.

"We must organize a search." One man said.

"And tell all leaf shinobi to report anyone who seems out of place."

"Notify the border guards to stop anyone they don't recognize from leaving the village."

"If she's here, we'll find her."

"We cannot let this opportunity escape us!"

* * *

Naruto was walking through the market that night when he spotted a familiar head of blue hair.

"Hey Hinata! Wait up!" He waved as he quickly ran to catch up to her.

"H-Hi Naruto." Hinata greeted, a little nervous as always.

"Hey! What's up?" He smiled brightly as they began walking. It was the first time he's seen her since the night of the attack.

"N-Nothing." She said quietly, eyes fixed on the ground in front of her.

"Nothing happened with your dad right? Because of the, uh, you know..." He trailed off, shuddering as he thought back to the murderous aura surrounding Nina and Hinata's father on that night of the attack.

"No, nothing. A-Actually I think Otou-sama was so angry at that lady that he forgot I was there." She cracked a small smile as Naruto laughed loudly.

"Ha! Really? I guess it was good that sensei came along with us then!" His hands locked behind his head and a wide grin rested on his face. Hinata gave a small nod and smiled as well. "So where ya going?" He turned to her curiously.

"Oh, I was at the weapons store. Otou-sama told me to get some kunai." She lifted the small bag in her hands. "He asked for blank scrolls too." She added softly.

"You got new kunai? Cool! I should check out that place too." He made a mental note to visit the store once he figured out where it was.

Hinata glanced at him briefly.

"Um, Naruto-kun, I thought you weren't a ninja..." Hinata said quietly, almost afraid that she would offend him.

"Hm? Oh I didn't tell you yet? I am a ninja! I didn't go to the academy but I have a sensei who teaches me." He smiled proudly.

"Oh, was that the lady you were talking about?" She asked, now very curious.

"Yup! She's the one that came with us after the Akatsuki members ran off."

Hinata nodded, intrigued.

The two came to a stop a few minutes later.

"My house is over here." Hinata said.

"Hm?" Naruto turned to look where she was gesturing at. "Wow! You live here?" It was a complex chain of buildings that covered a huge area of land. The buildings had smooth stone steps that led up to traditional wooden structures with paper windows. The light from the setting sun bounced off each tiled roof, giving them a shiny, gleaming appearance. This was probably the largest clan compound he'd ever seen. "Cool!" He smiled in amazement.

"I have to go now, bye Naruto-kun." Hinata nodded before disappearing into one of the large houses.

Naruto waved and turned to continue walking back to his apartment. Suddenly, he realized something, stopping him dead in his tracks.

'...how do I get home from here?'

* * *

Another two days passed quickly. Although it was almost unnoticeable, the village reconstruction seemed to be slowing down for some reason. It seems that more teams were being assigned other missions and that the number of shinobi helping the recovery effort was dropping. This posed little interference to the overall situation, however. Things were well on their way to being back to normal.

* * *

_Tap tap_

Naruto was awakened by a quiet noise.

_Tap tap tap_

He rubbed his eyes and glanced over to where the sound was coming from.

_Tap tap_

A bid pecked at his window.

Odd.

He rolled out of bed and sleepily approached the window, pushing it open, the bird ducked under the glass and hopped onto the windowsill. Something shiny caught his eye. He bent down to see what looked like a small metal tube clipped to the bird's leg. He carefully detached it and examined it closely. The bronze colored tube had tiny, faded designs etches onto its sides, there was a latch near the top too. He turned the tube upside-down and the latch shifted, letting the lid fall open.

A piece of paper fell onto the floor. He carefully picked it up and unfolded it.

It was a letter.

_Naruto,_

_I'm afraid I will be preoccupied for a while. For the time being, please continue to improve your genjutsu control. I suggest expanding your chakra reserve as well, it will certainly be helpful for these techniques._

_The following is a list of new genjutsus I would like you to learn._

_I hope you will excuse my absence,_

_-Nina_

Naruto read the note over once more just to make sure his eyes weren't messing with him.

Once he was sure that he knew what the letter said, he began wondering what she could be doing. Elusive as always. Naruto looked at the bird that still stood in front of him, occasionally pecking at the windowsill. He figured that he should let it go back to wherever it came from so he picked it up stuck his arms out the window. It unfolded its wings and flew out of his hands, soon disappearing behind a building.

He turned his attention back to the letter, there was a short list of jutsus at the bottom of the paper along with the matching hand seals.

"Hmm... I guess I should get started. I'll show sensei how great I am!" He nodded and quickly got ready to head out.

The sun was barely above the horizon when Naruto stepped out the door. Practicing genjutsu means he needs someone to practice with and he had a few people in mind who might agree to help.

After two hours and a lot of running around the village, Naruto stopped and sat down on the swing near the academy. Sasuke, who was the first person he'd asked for help, had a mission today, which meant Sakura wouldn't be available either. He asked Hinata and Takeo but they were busy too. After asking a few more friends, he had exhausted his list of potential training partners.

"Who else can I ask...?" He wondered aloud.

"Ask about what?" A voice broke his train of thought. He looked up to see none other than the Hokage herself.

"Granny Tsunade! What're you doing here?" Naruto asked, surprised at her sudden appearance.

"Just checking up on the recovery progress. What're you doing out do early? Shouldn't you be sleeping in?" Tsunade inquired, crossing her arms.

Naruto scratched the back of his head.

"I was actually looking for someone to train with..." He admitted. "I asked my friends but they all have missions and stuff." He grinned sheepishly.

Tsunade raised an eyebrow.

"Train with? You're not a ninja, Naruto." She reminded.

"Well I didn't go to the academy but I have a sensei!" He stated defensively.

Tsunade hummed at this.

"Really? I'm surprised. Leaf jonin aren't allowed to train civilian kids, your sensei must not be from the village." She reasoned.

"Yea! She's a traveler, she's told me about all the cool places she's been!" He grinned brightly.

Tsunade nodded thoughtfully.

"Well, if you need a training partner, I could help you for a while." She offered.

Naruto's eyes widened in surprise and excitement.

"Really?!" He asked, jumping up from his seat.

"Sure. I always like to see what techniques foreign shinobi have. Plus, going back to my office just means more paperwork." She said simply.

"Awesome! We can use that training field over there!" He pointed to the said field that lay behind the academy building.

"So what're you planning to practice today?" Tsunade inquired as they stepped into the field.

"Some genjutsu. Sensei assigned some new ones I need to learn." From his pocket, he pulled out the paper that he'd gotten from the bird that morning. He stared at the first jutsu on the list. He followed the hand seals written below it and concentrated, sending a steady flow of chakra to his hands and aiming it at Tsunade.

In the blink of an eye, spring had changed to winter. The vivid green grass was now dead, the blue sky turned cloudy. The nearby trees were withered and gray. Tsunade glanced around this new field carefully. She was impressed that he could manage to make it seem so real, especially since it was his first time trying it.

"Not bad kid, you did well."

He released the genjutsu and smiled brightly, now even more determined to get the rest right.

"Thanks! I'll try the next one." He followed the second set of hand seals from the paper.

Another success and approval from Tsunade. This one seems to be able to change what the target hears.

He tried the next one. And the one after that. All successes.

Soon he was on the last jutsu. He concentrated on the chain of seals at the very bottom of the page and directed chakra to them.

The instant Naruto finished the last hand sign, Tsunade saw him change into an old man with thin gray hair and heavily wrinkled face.

Her eyes widened as realization dawned on her.

"Granny Tsunade! How was that one?" Naruto, still looking like an old man, asked eagerly. The woman didn't respond. "Um, hello?" He stepped in front of her and waved a hand in front of her face.

"Hm? Oh right. That was fine, you did well. I should probably get back to the office though, there's a lot of work to do. See you later, kid!" She waved and disappeared instantly.

Naruto blinked, surprised that she left so quickly. That feeling soon subsided as he celebrated his own little victory of getting all of the jutsus right on the first try.

"I can't wait to tell sensei! I'll have to keep practicing and I'll be able to do all of them perfectly!" He nodded with a new resolve.

* * *

The leaves waved gently in the wind, shining their bright faces at the people who passed below. It was seven days after the recent attack and things were back to normal, as predicted. Buildings were fully repaired and everyone was going about their day as they usually would; people strolling the marketplaces, children playing outside, elderly couples taking a morning walk.

Naruto was excited, he had received another message via bird that morning, the letter was from Nina and had told him to come to the training field. Today was the first time in almost a week that he would be able to train with her and he was ready to show her everything he's been practicing.

"I will not be able to keep training you."

His smile immediately faded as he heard her words.

"What?" He asked, not understanding what she was saying. "What do you mean?"

"I will be continuing my travels. It has been quite a long time since I've settled in Konoha and I believe it would be best for me to start exploring once again."

Naruto was quiet.

"...you're leaving?" He asked, his voice barely a mumble.

"I'm afraid so." She nodded solemnly. "However, I do not intend to leave you as you are. I've decided to give you this." She stretched out a hand, there was a strange swirl above it before something suddenly appeared.

She handed it to him and he examined it closely.

"A book?" He asked, receiving a nod.

"It has been in my possession for far too long. It belonged to one of my old friends. It explains thousands of jutsus and techniques along with their accompanying seals." She lifted the cover and it opened to a random page; there was tiny writing etched into the worn paper. Gakunru Karum, Enroth-ill, Relayl, and dozens of other names could be seen on the page. A thought briefly crossed his mind about how strange the names were.

"Why are you giving me this?" He questioned, "You said it was from your friend right? It must be pretty valuable to you."

Nina let out a shallow breath and patted him on the head.

"When I first left my clan, this book, along with its brother, gave me comfort and safety. Over the years, I have grown very attached to them. However, a few years ago, I was pulled out of my life of solitude and into a place where I was, at first, very uncomfortable. As time passed, I realized that the place where I had been pushed into was a beautiful life, one that was part of an effort for a better future, wonderful by all means. But it wasn't for me. I understand that now. I hope this book will help you find your own future, not one that someone else made for you." Nina smiled gently. "This book is a wealth of knowledge and it wouldn't sit well with me to leave you without any guidance. Besides, knowledge is something to be shared, is it not?"

Naruto wasn't sure what to say, his eyes glued to the ground.

A long silence hung in the air.

"...a-are you sure?" He managed to find his voice, eyes beginning to water despite his best efforts.

"Quite." She stated. "I won't be gone forever, perhaps I'll come visit in a year or so." She tried to reassure him as best as she could.

Naruto nodded, still staring at the ground.

"When are you leaving?" He asked quietly.

"Right now, actually. I'm only here to give you the book. And bid you goodbye, of course." She added.

Naruto nodded again, he wiped his eyes with his sleeve and sniffled. He stepped forward and latched his arms around her, hugging her tightly.

Nina was surprised, staying still for a second before patting him on the back.

"You'll be fine, Naruto. I know you're a tough kid." She smiled gently. "I should be on my way now." She stated softly before he reluctantly let his arms fall to his side. She gave him one more pat on the head before turning and walking away towards the line of trees.

"BE BACK SOON, OK?!"

A loud shout made her turn her head. Naruto was staring straight at her, face determined and eyes shining with tears.

"I'LL TRAIN EXTRA HARD AND SHOW YOU HOW STRONG I AM! BELIEVE IT!" He yelled.

Nina stared at him for a moment. A small smile spread on her lips and she gave him a small nod. She turned and stepped behind a row of trees, disappearing from sight.


	28. The War

"WHY CAN'T YOU HELP ME?"

The yell made its way to the ears of passerbys below.

"BECAUSE I HAVE WORK TO DO!"

Shizune passed the office where the yelling was coming from. She shook her head lightly and decided to come back later. The documents weren't that important anyways.

"NOT LIKE YOU EVER DO ANY OF IT!"

"AS IF YOU WOULD KNOW."

"Am I inturrupting something?" Jiraya poked his head into the office, a grin plastered on his face.

"Not at all, the kid was just leaving." Tsunade glared at Naruto who humphed and walked out the door, brushing past the old sage.

Jiraya turned to Tsunade and stepped into the room, closing the door behind him.

"So how have things been? It seems you've got the village running pretty smoothly as of late." He commented, settling in one of the cushioned chairs by the desk.

Tsunade crossed her arms.

"Save the small talk, Jiraya. You never come here without news, so what is it?" She asked impatiently.

Jiraya chuckled at her frown.

"Straightforward as always, eh? Well you're not wrong. Remember that thing you asked me to help you with a few weeks ago? So it turns out the bird that brings the messages isn't actually a bird. Its just an animated clump of chakra that disappears when the caster wills it to. I couldn't track it like you asked, but I've been watching it. I found out that it always circles over a certain part of the village for a bit prior to disappearing." His eyes shifted to stare out the window.

Tsunade turned to see where he was looking, puzzled.

"The First Conference Hall?" She questioned, receiving a nod. "You mean to say the person who has been trying to communicate with me is spying on the elder's meetings?" She frowned in frustration.

"I don't think so. At least, not for the reason you're thinking. If whoever they are wanted to spy on the Council or elders, they wouldn't be taking the time to send you letters. As I'm sure you're aware, controlling something from a distance without direct contact takes a lot of concentration. I doubt they would take time to do that if they were only aiming to spy on the Conference Hall for a few minutes." Jiraya concluded.

"Then why would they be circling the Hall every time they send a message?" Tsunade asked.

Jiraya shook his head.

"I don't know. My only thought was that maybe they weren't looking at the Hall. They might have been surveying something else." Jiraya shrugged, offering everything he had come up with.

"Alright, thanks for the information. You were a big help, Jiraya." Tsunade thanked with a nod.

"Not a problem. I'll keep an eye out for anything suspicious in that area." He stood and turned to head out the door. "I'll be back if anything comes up." He waved and disappeared down the hall.

Tsunade sat at her desk, hands clasped under her chin in concentration.

"If she isn't aiming the Conference Hall, then what was she watching...?" The image of the white haired woman was stuck in her mind. Why had she come to her office? Why does she keep sending messages?

"...who are you...?"

* * *

Naruto sighed as he wandered the streets near one of the bigger, more popular training grounds. Hinata was still nowhere in sight.

'She usually isn't late.' He thought, staring up at the clouds that drifted across the bright blue sky. The sun was beaming that day, a rare occurrence for being so close to winter. A few other people were training in the area but they were pretty spread out, enough so that no one needed to worry about getting hit by someone else's shuriken.

"Naruto-kun!" Hinata waved as she ran towards him. "S-sorry I'm late! I was talking with Neji-san about something important and I got here as fast as I could." Hinata panted, a little out of breath.

"There you are, don't worry about it! I just got here too." Naruto smiled and pulled her towards a more open area of the training field. "Taijutsu only, right?" He asked. He knew she usually liked to work on her strength and speed.

To his surprise, she shook her head.

"Can we do some ninjutsu too?" She asked hopefully.

"Ninjutsu? Sure!" He grinned. He was always up for a change of pace. They both drew their legs back and got into position, preparing themselves for what they knew was coming.

"Ready," He started.

"Set," She said quietly.

"Go!"

Hinata sprinted forwards as both their hands flew through seal after seal. A clone of Naruto appeared and they jumped in opposite directions. Hinata paused and glanced both ways, quickly making a decision to go left. She caught up to him in no time and held a hand to his back. A blast sounded through the field as Naruto crashed through a large group of thin trees. A path of branches littered the ground with Naruto at the end to them. Both to Hinata's dismay and relief, the boy disappeared with a puff of smoke. She whipped around just in time to dodge a sharpened piece of rock, only to see a blur as a wall of wind crashed into her. She covered her face with her arms and desperately jumped out of the whirlwind without paying attention to where she was going.

Hinata opened her eyes when she felt solid ground under her feet. She scanned the field quickly: no one. The grass was vivid under the midday sun and the orange colored trees lay undisturbed. Just when she was about to start searching for him, a tremble in the ground startled her. She instinctively leapt up, landing on a nearby branch. As she turned she caught a glimpse of someone from the corner of her eye, but when she looked in its direction they were gone.

'Byakugan!' The veins around her eyes dilated as her vision suddenly shifted to white and blue. 'Left!' She jumped away just as a stream of fire shot under her. She saw Naruto's chakra flare and a barrage of small fireballs came flying towards her. She grit her teeth and charged straight towards it. She could feel the heat as she twisted and turned, managing to dodge all of the burning bullets. With a silent sigh of relief, she sprinted towards the outline of Naruto, gathering chakra into her hand. The moment she was close enough, she thrust her hand forward, aiming for his stomach.

Naruto was thrown back with a burst of chakra and crashed into a tall tree. He fell to the ground, landing on his feet with ease.

Wasting no time, he pushed off the ground and crouched on a nearby branch. He looked around to see where Hinata had gone. He couldn't see her but he could feel her chakra, the bit that she had failed to conceal was eminating from one of the branches above him.

A rustling of leaves from that area confirmed his thought and in a second, Hinata came tumbling down from the tree.

Instinctively, he jumped towards her, managing to catch her before she hit the ground.

When they landed, he let go of her and took a step back, examining her for any injuries.

"Are you ok?" He frowned, worried that he had done something to hurt her too badly.

"No, I'm fine! I got tangled in a vine and tripped when I tried to move..." Hinata admitted, blushing in embarrassment.

"Oh, that was me." Naruto said sheepishly.

Hinata looked up curiously.

"I just learned a new jutsu and I wanted to try it out... Guess I should've warned you, huh?" He grinned apologetically, scratching the back of his neck.

"No, it's ok." She shook her head, smiling sweetly.

"How about we take a break? I think it's lunchtime anyways. My treat!" He gave her a thumbs up and a bright grin.

Hinata smiled a nodded lightly.

"Let's go!" He grabbed her hand began running towards the marketplace. Hinata's face flushed nervously as she tried to keep up. .

The two sat next to each other at Icahiraku's ramen, patiently waiting for their food to arrive.

"So, Hinata. Learned any new techniques lately?" Naruto turned to her curiously.

"Um, no, not really. I've just been practicing with Neji and Otou-sama. They said I need to work on my ninjutsu so that's why I wanted to practice that today..." She trailed off, face still a little red.

Naruto grinned.

"I'm happy to train with you anytime." He reminded with a thumbs up.

Hinata glanced at him from the corner of her eye.

"Um, Naruto-kun, you said your sensei is traveling right? How are you learning new jutsus?" She inquired softly.

He seemed surprised at her question.

"Oh, she left me a really heavy book filled with all types of jutsus! Its really helpful since I can learn by myself. Though I'm sure I could improve a lot faster if sensei were still here..." He thought aloud. "But she'll be back eventually and I'll get to show her how much I've learned!" He added quickly, eyes gleaming with determination. Hinata stared at him, a curious look on her face. He noticed this and turned to her. "Hm? What's wrong?"

She immediately blushed heavily and averted her gaze.

"N-Nothing! I-I just thought it was great that you're so dedicated to your training. I wish I was as strong as you." She stuttered nervously. Her hand flew to cover her mouth once she realized what she had said, eyes wide with embarrassment.

"Hehe," Naruto chuckled lightheartedly. "That's really nice of you, but I'm not that strong yet. I'll keep training so I can get stronger and I'll be able to become Hokage and protect everyone!" He declared confidently.

Hinata smiled at him and nodded firmly.

'I believe you will.' She thought with an unfamiliar resolve.

* * *

"Naruto! Wake up!"

A pillow hit the back of his head. The blonde boy rolled away from his attacker.

"Why're you heeere?" He mummbled sleepily, face buried in his blankets.

"You said you wanted to come with us!" Sakura frowned, arms crossed. "Remember? The mission?"

He groaned and rolled towards the edge of his bed.

"Yea yea, give me a minute." He said, sitting up.

"About time. We'll be by the gate so hurry up." Sakura turned and stepped out of the apartment.

Naruto sighed heavily. Why had he wanted to go on the mission with them?

"To find the Akatsuki." He reminded himself. He took a moment to gather enough energy and jumped out of bed, now fully awake and ready to go.

Once he had dressed and picked up the bag he had packed the day earlier, he walked up to his door and stopped in front of it. He stared at it intensely, preparing himself to go on his first real mission. 'I have to find them.' He unconsciously lifted a hand and rested it on his stomach where the seal lay. 'I have to know.' He turned the knob and stepped outside, quickly making a beeline for the village gates.

"There you are." Kakashi waved as Naruto approached them. "Everyone's here so let's go while its still dark, it'll be a mess for me if Tsunade finds out I let you come." With a nod, Naruto and the three present members of Team 7 silently dashed out of the village under the cover of night.

* * *

"Why did he have to come with us again?" Sasuke mummbled. The sun was now high in the sky and they had just crossed the boarder between the lands of Fire and Earth.

Kakashi chuckled at the murderous aura that rolled off the Uchiha. Behind them, Naruto pranced happily, ooing and ahing at everything he saw. His feet carried him left and right, over and around to look at anything that caught his eye.

"He's just excited to see whats outside the village. Give him a break." Kakashi was much less agitated at the boy's unending fascination than his two students. "Besides, Souichi is injured so we can use the extra help." The fourth member of Team 7, Souichi Nara, had hurt his ankle last minute and was subsequently unable to come.

"Shut up!" Sakura yelled for the twentieth time that day.

The blonde came to a halt and apologize sheepishly. No more than five minutes later, though, he was up and running again. It seemed Naruto wasn't too keen on keeping his commentary to himself.

"Ooo! Sakura-chan look at that old building over there!"

"Kakashi-san, when are we gonna get there?"

"Hey Sasuke! That bird's butt looks like your hair!"

"There's a pond over there, can we take a break?"

The two teens sighed and looked to Kakashi for help.

"Sounds good, we've been running for a while anyways. Let's rest for a bit." Kakashi agreed quickly before his two pupils could begin contemplating murder.

"Yay!" Naruto dashed for the small pond and flopped onto the ground once he reached the edge. "Ahh..." He sighed in relaxation, closing his eyes and moving his hands behind his head.

"We should be nearing the area where the Akatsuki were recently seen. We're here right now," Kakashi drew a rough outline of the lands of Fire and Earth in the dirt, then made a small circle near the boarder. "The forest where we think their base is," He drew a line to the north of the circle. "Is located here. It should take no more than four hours to get there." He crossed his arms and leaned back.

"How big is the forest?" Sasuke asked, staring at the map drawn in the dirt.

"We're not entirely sure. There's only ever been two missions to that area and none of them have mapped the forest." Kakashi explained.

Sakura frowned a bit.

"So we don't know how long it'll take to search through it?" She asked.

"Unfortunately. But we've been instructed to look through all of it so that's what we have to do." He sighed. "We should have a few hours of sunlight to search when we get there. They've given us a limit of four days there so we'll have to ration our time or there'll be a rescue team coming f-." A loud snore interrupted him. "-or us."

All heads turned to Naruto who sleeping soundly.

"Tsunade would kill you if she found out he was with us." Sasuke commented distastefully. "This is an A-class mission after all."

The silver haired man sighed.

"He would've kept bugging me if I said no. Besides, you can understand why he wants to come, right?"

The two remained silent, agreeing wordlessly.

"If we find the Akatsuki, we can help him get some kind of closure. However," His voice lowered. "if we do encounter one of them, you two must protect him. He doesn't have the skills you do, he wouldn't be able to defend himself. I'm counting on both of you to make sure he makes it out alive."

* * *

A line of trees came into view, they were barren and stood on a ground of fallen leaves.

"We're here."

The songs of birds could be heard throughout the forest, but other than that, it was peacefully quiet.

"We will split up, I'll search the north, you three stick together. Stay on guard." Kakashi instructed swiftly before taking off towards the opposite end of the forest.

"Let's start while its still light out." Sakura stated, turning and beginning to scour around the trees and bushes. There wasn't much to search for, the leafless skeletons wouldn't be able to hide much, not to mention they didn't know what they were really looking for.

By the time the sun set, the three had searched miles and miles of the forest with no luck. They now waited for Kakashi at the designated spot.

"I didn't sense anyone." Said Sasuke as he carried a small stack of branches.

"Neither did I." Sakura agreed, picking up a stack of her own.

Naruto remained silent as he brought the last of the firewood. All of them dropped the branches in a pile and sat around it. Sasuke raised two fingers to his lips and blew a tiny breath, a small stream of fire shot out and touched the pile of branches and twigs, successfully creating a small, bright fire.

"Where do you think Kakashi-san is?" Naruto asked suddenly.

The two others realized this as well: he should have been here by now.

There was a moment of silence.

"He's probably on his way, he's always late anyways." Sasuke dismissed, crossing his arms and leaning back to rest against a tree.

"I hope he's ok." Sakura said worriedly. Both she and Sasuke knew that Kakashi wasn't ever late for regroupings on missions, especially not on ones as important as this.

"I'm sure he'll be back soon." Naruto said in an effort to comfort her.

The three again fell into a silence, each staring at the fire, waiting something to be said.

The sun was nowhere to be seen now. The stars were invisible that night too, covered by clouds; dark and heavy.

The moon was the only light that shone down on them, glowing through the blankets of clouds that drifted and changed through the sky.


	29. The Appearance

War was a rumor.

War was coming.

War is here.

The Akatsuki are on the move, they were finally going to use the power they had been collecting.

The masked man named Tobi declared war when the nations refused to surrender the Nine Tails, the only tailed beast that remained free from their grasp.

But eight was enough.

Enough to destroy a good portion of the world.

Naruto had been training under another jinchuriki, Killer B, to learn how to control the Kyuubi. Though he and the beast were still at odds, it seemed to tolerate him enough to cooperate most of the time. Killer B had been taken by the Akatsuki just over a month ago, forcing the Allied Nations to change their course of action.

Just inside the village gates stood row upon row of shinobi. Anbu, jounin, and even chunin stood in green vests and faced the Hokage.

"Intelligence from Suna has revealed that the Akatsuki plan to attack on Konoha to capture the Nine Tails! We will meet with troops from the land of Water and Earth and we will defeat the enemy!"

Roars from the crowd was enough to send shivers down the spine of even the most stoic man.

"Let's move!"

A resounding cheer was heard as the mass of shinobi took off.

* * *

Corpses were strewn across the bloodstained grass. The bodies, still warm, all had eyes widened in fear, staring at nothing.

A single pair of footsteps calmly made their way around the graveyard.

"...h-help... p-pl-... help..." A broken voice called out.

The owner of the footsteps paused. They looked down to see a young boy, no older that eighteen years old, twitching weakly, just barely alive.

"Hm." The man squatted down next to the boy. He placed one hand over his chest and a bright flash of green appeared. The boy, now with the strength to open his eyes, turned his head over to thank his savior.

But he was not greeted by a savior.

A mask of orange clay swirled and framed around the left eye. A glowing, deadly red eye. The man was barely able to sit up and jump away.

"Y-You!" He stuttered. It was none other than the man who had slaughtered his comrades, the comrades whom now lay under him.

"Quiet." The man spoke and the boy immediately fell silent. "Bring a message to your Hokage. We will destroy your village along with your allies. Bring the jinjuriki boy or all the nations will pay."

The boy gaped, frozen in fear.

"Go." The man commanded, and next thing he knew, he was alone.

* * *

She knew from the moment the first tailed beast was taken.

She could hear them calling out.

She could feel their pain.

She had to help them.

Whatever it took.

It was about time, anyways.

* * *

"Sasuke! Take the right!" Naruto yelled.

The symphony of scrapes and clashes was deafening. The blood was overwhelming. But Naruto refused to give up: a mindset that he was now known across the nations for. Attacks were abundant in every direction, most of them came from the Allied Forces yet they were still losing ground. The army of artificial green things stood as an inpenatrable wall. No matter how many clones he made, they were all struck down within the minute. As much as logic told him to retreat, he kept fighting. He'd take down as many of them as he could, the waves had to stop sooner or later. He sent a pulse of air that shot through a crowd of the green beings, though the space he had made was immediately filled by more of them.

The numbers seemed infinite but that was no hindrance to him.

* * *

'What is this?' She asked herself, coming face to face with a familiar man.

The blonde one of the Akatsuki.

She knew he had died, yet he stood clear as day.

That was when she knew the stakes were high.

That was when she knew he would be back.

Soon.

* * *

Another loss.

The Great Nations' morale was at an all time low. They had seen yet another defeat that day, the masked man was relentless and cruel in a way they never imagined. That had to change their tactics or they would all be killed. The five kages gathered in a private room, discussing plans and methods while their people were out on the front lines.

Naruto refused to give up on this one. With the nine tails at his side, he did everything he could to take down that masked man.

Miss, miss, miss, hit, miss, miss, miss, miss...

The man was fast and wielded some sort of strange jutsu. Sasuke told him it was a jutsu that required the Sharingan, meaning the man was an Uchiha. No one could think of any Uchiha clansmen that would have, could have done this. They were all accounted for, even the ones who had betrayed the village had been eliminated as a suspect.

A man so ruthless and powerful...

* * *

"Everyone, we must not lose hope. The future of the world rests on our shoulders and we must bear it with pride! Today we will make history, we will face the enemy and we will come out victorious!"

Cheers echoed for miles.

Sakura sat a distance away from the crowd, eyes downcast. She was silent.

"What is it, Sakura-chan?" Hinata asked, kneeling down next to her.

She looked troubled.

"How is everyone so optimistic? They know there's no chance of defeating the enemy. We've lost so many battles but they act like we're winning the war!" She closed her eyes and clenched her fists.

There was a moment of silence.

"Even though it doesn't look good for us, we can't give up hope. What can we do other than fight and pray? Fight for the ones we love and pray for a miracle."

Sakura didn't expect such words from Hinata, but when they finally sunk in, she was visibly calmed. A heavy sigh escaped her lips.

"When you put it like that, I guess you're right.. If we all keep doubting ourselves then we'll never win." A smile spread on her lips and she stood, eyes shining and mind ready. "Come on, let's go win ourselves a battle!"

Soon, their faction merged with Naruto and Sasuke's. The four stayed at the head of the mass of shinobi: the largest army to see battle in a long time. They made it to the battlefield where their enemy was already waiting for them.

A man, fully wrapped in bandages stood on top of a high cliff. The Tsuchikage, who stood among the army, had battled him before. He knew what he was dealing with and felt confident that they would be able to win this time.

That feeling was crushed the moment he saw the man who stood next to him.

He froze in shock and shook his head in disbelief.

'Impossible...'

* * *

"Kabuto, was it?" He asked the man standing on the cliff. "What do you want?" He narrowed his eyes.

The one named Kabuto chuckled lowly.

"What I want? I want the same thing you do." His eyes glinted with excitement.

The man ignored him, his eyes sweeping over the people below.

"Where is she?" He asked with a frown.

Kabuto turned to him.

"Who?" He inquired.

No response.

"Hn. I suppose she'll have to miss my show..." He stated before taking a step forward. "Don't get in my way." He leapt off the ledge and landed on the ground, right into the center of the mass of shinobi.

Blood splattered left and right, bodies were thrown carelessly, weapons were scattered next to their fallen owners.

"I-Its no use!" Sakura panted. "We can't land a single hit on him!"

"We have to keep trying!" Naruto yelled.

Not half an hour into the battle, just a three dozen shinobi remained alive, all injured to some degree. Their attacker, on the other hand, wasn't the least bit out of breath.

"Tsuchikage-sama! We have to retreat! There's no way we can defeat him now!" Sakura urged.

The old man frowned and grit his teeth, his logic and his pride were at odds.

"Retreat! All allied shinobi, draw back!" He shouted finally.

And even Naruto, who had become so well known for his bravery, turned and ran.

The bandaged man watched the scene unfold from atop the cliff.

"All is going better than expected... what great power I've created. You use it well, Uchiha Madara."

* * *

She prayed for the souls that would be lost that day.

She prayed for their forgiveness.

Just a little more time...

* * *

Silence rang loudly through the camp. Not even Naruto could say anything, not even he could cheer them up. He had fled. He couldn't forgive himself. If only he had been stronger, maybe things wouldn't have ended up like this.

Even the five kages couldn't stand against that power of the new enemy. Terror and shock shot through the hearts of everyone when they heard of their leaders' defeat.

But they were in a war, there was no time for sadness or pity.

* * *

"Madara-sama, who is it that you're looking for?" The man in the orange mask asked.

There was a chuckle before he answered.

"Someone very important. I will bring her to our side and our victory will be guaranteed." Madara smirked menacingly. "You've met her once before."

The masked man was silent.

'That woman with the strange chakra.' He thought. 'What is he planning...?'

* * *

"Hm?" The man with long brown hair looked down at his hands, seeming very confused. "Am I..."

"Brother. What's happening?" A man with spikey white hair stepped next to him, arms crossed and stoic.

"It seems we've been revived." Another voice joined in. A short, older man looked around.

"Who did this?" Yet another voice asked.

"Ah, how wonderful. Four generations of Leaf history standing right here." A man stepped into the cave. "What a sight." He chuckled.

"Orochimaru!" The old man glared, lowering into a defensive stance.

"Relax, Sarutobi. I'm not here to fight. In fact, I need your help. I cannot allow things to run their course in this war. I need all of you to help bring down the Akatsuki." He stated meticulously.

"And why should we trust you." The one named Saratobi demanded.

"You don't need to trust me, in fact, you could kill me right now. I'm just a clone, after all. But you're going to want to help your precious village. Your shinobi are being slaughtered in a field not ten miles away from here. You might want to hurry." He chuckled once more before disappearing.

A silence settled among the four men.

"Is there another war?" The white haired one asked.

"Seems like it." The blonde one answered.

"Well, lets go see whats going on."

* * *

Madara frowned at the sight before him. The persistence of these people would have been impressive if it was not so immensely irritating.

"What will you do now? The jinchuriki boy is the last one we need..." A deep voice spoke from behind him and a dark, shadowy figure stepped besides him.

Madara's frown deepened.

"I will take care of him later, before that, I need to find a certain someone." He seemed to grow angry just at the thought.

The dark figure shifted to get a better view of the pitiful scene below.

"Who is so important that they must delay the new world?" It questioned.

Madara did not respond.

The figure hummed and, with a frown, disappeared from sight.

Madara's eyes were glued to the battle below, his clones kept the shinobi busy and away from him. They were not killing any of the allied forces, however, something that had not gone unnoticed by the dark figure. Madara was stalling, that much was clear, but why?

* * *

"Hokage-sama, we can't get past the clones, there are too many of them!" A communications shinobi sent the telepathic message to Tsunade who was back in Konoha recovering from her injuries.

"What are the numbers?" Asked the Hokage in return.

"Barely a hundred of us and about fifty clones."

"Where is the real Madara?"

"He's here but he's not doing anything, just watching."

A pause.

"Hokage-sama?"

"I'm sending renforcements. Hold out until they get there."

"Understood."

The woman stood from her hiding place and quickly went to inform the others.

* * *

Four figures sped through the forest and emerged at the edge of it. A hundred yards away was a bloody battleground on which neither side seemed to be advancing.

"It's Madara." Tobirama stated.

Hashirama only nodded grimly as the four sped towards the scene.

* * *

"This chakra..." Madara took a step forward. A shirk spread across his face as excitement rushed through his veins. As if on cue, a blur crossed his vision and four figures appeared on the battlefield below.

"You!" Hashirama pointed a finger straight at the Uchiha. "Stop this nonsense now!"

Madara's smirk only widened as he jumped down, landing ten yards in front of the First Hokage.

"Originally, I had wanted to wait for a certain friend of ours to arrive. But I guess we'll just have to start by ourselves." He mused. The ground began to rumble as a huge mound of earth shifted behind him. First they saw a head: an earthen, almost skeletal head of a humanoid entity. The body followed, it had black spikes jutting from its back, a partiality decayed torso made it seem as if it was made of wood.

The statue now stood at its full height, towering over all of the shinobi who stood paralyzed in fear.

With a leap, Madara landed on the twisted head of the statue.

"It's time we end this." His eyes glinted with malice and he grinned with excitement. The mouth of the statue dropped open and a single chain shot out, heading straight for Naruto who was frozen in place.

A loud thump was heard as the chain was stopped by a huge tree whose branches twisted to trap it.

"Don't think it'll be so easy." Hashirama frowned as he formed a long chain of hand seals. Slamming his palm to the ground, a large cloud of smoke appeared behind him, soon clearing to reveal another statue. This one was of a pristegious looking being who sat silently, thousands of arms forming a halo behind him. Hashirama leapt onto the head of the statue, already prepared for an all-out battle.

"Escape this area!" The oldest one of the four, the Third Hokage, commanded the shinobi troops who were staring, mouths dropped open in awe. "Get away and find shelter! Quickly!" He urged.

One of the shinobi, who seemed to suddenly snap out of his daze, turned and began running away from the inevitable battle. Another man followed. Then another. Soon, the entire army was sprinting away, desperately putting distance between them and the oncoming destruction. Naruto and Sasuke stayed with the army for a while before quickly splitting off and heading back towards the battlefield without anyone noticing.

They refused to run away. Not again.

"Madara! You must stop! The path you follow will not lead to peace! There will only be more suffering!" Hashirama called. He knew it wouldn't help.

Madara's expression of anger and malice did not change, if anything, he only became more apprehensive.

"What do you know of peace? Once I acheive Infinite Tsukoyomi, the new world will be under my control!" He chuckled at the thought of it. "So, Hashirama, let's settle this now." Madara clasped his hands together and a blue sussano appeared around both him and the statue beneath him.

With its new armor, the demonic statue opened its mouth and a glowing black orb began materializing inside.

Hashirama's hands came together and the statue's arms shifted to face their palms towards their enemy. A red glow began forming around each hand and small white specks could be seen scattered among the red.

The air became heavy with the sheer power that radiated off the two men.

The black orb grew larger.

The red glow intensified.

The orb crackled with energy.

The glow molded into spikes.

In a flash, both the orb and the spikes launched forward and collided, instantly throwing smoke and debris up in the air, clouding everyone's eyes.

With a strong gust of wind from Hashirama, the smoke was pushed away and revealed the destruction that remained.

Or rather, lack of destruction.

Instead of cracked ground and broken trees, the only thing out of place was a red orb floating where the two attacks had collided. The red soon faded and disappeared, revealing a figure standing inside.

The person had both arms outstretched to either side, head lowered with long white hair covering their face.

The black creature peeked out of the shadows at the new source of chakra. Very familiar chakra. Its eyes landed on the figure standing at the center of the battlefield and it froze in shock.

The white hair-

The chakra-

"...mother...?"


	30. The Confrontation

A chuckle broke through the silence and all eyes turned to its source.

"I was beginning to think you wouldn't show up." Madara grinned threateningly. "Good to see that isn't the case."

The white haired figure lifted their head and glared wordlessly at the Uchiha.

"Nina?" A voice from behind called with a mixture of confusion and surprise. Hashirama was shocked, not only because she was here, but also because the force of the two attacks colliding didn't leave a single scratch on her.

But her attention wasn't on him.

"What you are trying to achieve is ridiculous." She spat in a tone that was very unlike her.

"Ridiculous?" Madara repeated incredulously. "You of all people should understand why it is completely reasonable. Peace is necessary for a perfect world and violence is the only way to reach it. You've seen many wars, haven't you, Otsutsuki Nina?"

Silence.

"How did you find out?" She asked sharply.

Another chuckle left his lips.

"Now that you're here, things will be much more interesting." Ignoring her question, he clasped his hands together and the Demonic Statue lunged forward, instantly closing the gap between them. A decayed hand swung down and she leapt back, causing it to collide with the ground. She landed on one of the arms of the more pristine statue.

"Nina!"

She glanced down to see Hashirama looking back at her, evidently confused.

"Why are you here?" He questioned.

"We'll talk later, we have something on our hands at the moment."

As if on cue, another enormous hand clamped down on the arms of Hashirama's statue, just barely missing Nina. She leapt up onto the huge twisted arm and sprinted towards Madara who stood on its head. In a split second, she was right in front of him. He gripped his gunbai and swung it, creating a strong gust of wind that nearly pushed her off the statue.

"What are you planning?" She demanded, causing a smirk to spread across his face.

"I'll achieve what your clan never could." He took a deep breath and blew a large stream of fire. Nina leapt sideways and avoided it, landing on the statue's left shoulder.

"What makes you think you'll be able to bring peace?" She challenged as she dodged another blast of fire.

"The new world will need a ruler, who more fit than myself?" A flaring blue susanoo formed around his body and a sword appeared in its hand. It drew its arm back and sliced the air, sending out a wave of glistening blue spikes. Nina held a hand out and the spikes all crashed into an invisible barrier. The susanoo threw its sword at her but she jumped back in time to avoid it.

Behind her, the sword hit a patch of trees and cut straight through them. The tops of hundreds of trees toppled to the ground.

Nina landed on the ground a distance away and Madara didn't hesitate to follow. The susanoo slammed a fist onto the ground, dozens of pillars of the same blue chakra shot up from the ground and twisted into a dome around her. After a moment, the pillars shattered and Nina jumped out, landing just about ten meters away from the trigger-happy Uchiha. Without warning, the susanoo changed. Four extra arms appeared as the torso grew wider.

"With so many years of hiding, you must have developed a few tricks." Madara brought his hands together and the susanoo mirrored him. "Let's put on a good show." A chain of blasts went off one after another, forming a line of destruction headed straight towards Nina. As the last one sounded, Madara leapt forward and the susanoo slammed a hand down on the spot Nina stood. Seeing her dissappear and reappear a distance away, he wasted no time in charging at her once again.

Naruto watched from behind a thick row of trees. He was staring, still in shock.

"Naruto, isn't that..." Sasuke, who crouched next to him, narrowed his eyes. He had only seen her a couple of times in the past but her appearance didn't exactly help her blend in.

Naruto didn't respond. He didn't need to.

"What is she doing here? Madara isn't someone she can stand up to." He had noticed that she wasn't attacking, only dodging Madara's attacks.

A painfully long second of silence dragged between them. This was broken by a rustle of movement and next thing he knew, Naruto was sprinting towards the battle.

"Hey!" Sasuke cursed as he reluctantly chased after him, hoping to be able to stop him from doing anything stupid.

A stream of fire shot at Nina, she raised a hand and it was split straight down the middle, shooting off to either side of her.

Four branches emerged from the dirt and crept up behind her. It twisted around her ankles only to be immediately burned upon contact.

It was clear that Madara was getting impatient. She wasn't attacking and he was bored. However, his boredom quickly turned into excitement when he saw the jinjuriki boy running straight towards them.

Nina saw his eyes shift and quickly recognized the approaching chakra source.

Madara turned back to her with a smirk. The susanoo around him disappeared and he bolted to the left, straight towards Naruto. His hands flew through a string of seals and the Demonic Statue, who had been facing off with Hashirama, shot out a chain from its mouth.

Naruto barely had time to react as the huge chain flew at him. He jumped back but it changed direction and shot towards him again. He dodged again, knowing that he couldn't let it touch him or else Kurama would be pulled from him.

If that happened, Madara would win.

Naruto jumped to the left and just as the chain was about to chase after him, a figure appeared in front of it, stopping it dead in its tracks.

"Sensei!" He yelled and a wave of relief washed over him.

"Get out of here." She said without looking back. She forced a pulse of white chakra through the chain and it shot up, reaching the mouth of the statue in a matter of seconds. The statue immediately shut its mouth, causing the chain to break off and crash to the ground.

"Sensei, what are you doing here? Its not safe!"

Nina turned to her left, Naruto stood right next to her.

"I should be asking you the same. You must leave before Madara gets to you." She stated.

"But-"

"I know you have questions. I will answer all of them after this is all over. Please, get to safety now." She said with a sense of urgency.

He didn't know what to do. Or rather, he knew what he should do, he just couldn't do it.

"I'm not going to leave you with him, sensei. I can help." He stated.

Nina sighed in exasperation.

"...just watch your back, alright?"

Naruto grinned, determined to protect her.

"Deal." As soon as the word left his mouth, a fireball flew straight at them. A wall of water appeared and wrapped around it, leaving only steam in its place.

Madara took a step forward, gunbai in hand. Without a word, he lunged at Naruto who skillfully dodged it, if only by an inch. Nina appeared between them and blocked another swing from the Uchiha. With a gust of wind, she successfully shoved him back. He landed on his feet a few meters away and gave her a look of satisfaction. She moved to stand just a small distance in front of him.

"So you're finally ready to battle." He mused with a smirk.

"If you want to fight, we'll fight. But leave him out of it." She stated with a glare.

"Oh? I didn't realize you were so protective of the boy." He chuckled. "Very well. I expect a good battle." He clasped his hands together and a susanoo formed around him, this one was slightly larger than the others, six arms and full body armor.

Nina seemed unimpressed. She raised her arm and the air seemed to swirl. A black, staff-like object appeared in her hand.

The susanoo around him shifted once again, this one was much larger than the rest, with partial armor and a long nose that portruded from under its helmet. It held a sword in each of its hands, wings folded behind it. Madara stood inside a chamber in its forehead, giving him a safe view of everything below. The susanoo unsheathed one of its swords and swung down, aiming directly for Nina.

The blade struck something invisible, stopping it not a foot above above her head. She glanced up at it, unfazed. She tapped the edge with the top of her staff and a deafening crack was heard. The blade shattered into uncountable pieces.

Nina jumped just as a spike, with the same color and glow as the susanoo, shot out of the ground where she stood.

Landing on a high cliff, she now stood face to face with the enormous creature. It turned to her and slammed the hilt of the remaining sword down on the cliff, the rock immediately gave way and collapsed into a pile of pebble. The susanoo glanced around, the woman was nowhere in sight, but a sudden flare in chakra made it clear where she was.

'Up.'

A large hand rose up and reached above its head, blindly grabbing at Nina. However, before it could touch her, the hand instinctively retreated upon feeling a jolt.

Glancing at the hand, Madara realized it was dissentigrading. He formed a seal in an attempt to stop the damage, but nothing was happening. The dissentigration spread to the torso. Without any other choice, he released the susanoo and it instantly vanished. He landed on the ground and, looking up, saw Nina standing on the pile of rubble.

Frowning, he called his gunbai and swung it twice, arcs of wind rushed at Nina but proved useless. She stretched out her free hand and opened it so that her palm faced him. A red glow began forming at the center of her hand. The soft glow soon became bloody red and a solid pillar of light shot towards him. Madara quickly formed a chain of seals and blew out a concentrated stream of fire. The red light collided with the flames and they pushed against each other. Finally, the light overcame and dispersed the fire. Madara jumped away as the light shot under him. It hit a rock wall a distance away and passed straight through it, leaving an empty tunnel in its path.

Madara disappeared in midair. Nina whipped around just in time to block a fist aimed at her back. She looked straight into the pair of red and black eyes.

'They have no effect on her?' Madara cursed and leapt back. 'What is the meaning of this?' He frowned and his eyes shifted to the Rinnengan, red and black turned to rings of purple as he clenched his fists. His frustration was soon gone as a loud cry was heard a distance from them. Turning their heads, they both watched as a chain retreated into the mouth of the Demonic Statue, something orange caught at the end.

"Naruto!" The fourth Hokage shouted desperately upon seeing his son lying on the ground. "Naruto!" He ran up to him and kneeled at his side. He wasn't breathing.

Hashirama landed beside him, checking his pulse and chakra flow.

"His chakra says he's still hanging in there. The nine tails was pulled from his body so he's very weak." He stated grimly, placing both hands over the boy's chest. A soft green glow appeared beneath them. Hashirama glanced at an anxious Minato. "I'll do everything I can."

_Thump_

_Thump_

Everyone turned their heads.

_Thump thump_

_Thump thump thump thump_

An avalanche of footsteps was fast approaching, and there were a lot of them.

Someone stepped into view. Then another. And another.

In mere seconds, a hundred shinobi stood on the hill. They were dressed in all colors with all different expressions on their faces, but every one of them wore the same forehead protector:  _Shinobi_.

They ran forward, heading directly toward the west side of the field, where Madara and Nina were in a stand off. As they approached, it became clear that at their head was none other than the Fifth Hokage herself. She gestured to the army behind her and a few of them broke off from the group, heading towards the lineup of people who had been injured and unable to run away when the others had.

Four of the newly arrived shinobi gathered around Naruto while the others went to treat the rest of the injured.

"Please excuse us, Hokage-sama." One of the medical ninja took a small glass bottle out from her supplies pouch. She pulled the cork out and carefully poured it into Naruto's mouth.

"What's that?" Hashirama inquired.

"A concentrated chakra solution. It should stimulate his chakra and breathing patterns." The medic nin answered. "Please, leave him to us. Help Tsunade-sama." The woman's eyes pleaded.

Hashirama nodded and quickly headed in the direction the army had gone.

Nina blocked another fireball and sent back one of her own. Madara blocked it with his gunbai and it absorbed the chakra, shooting a powerful blast of wind in return. Nina leapt high into the air, just managing to avoid the wall of wind racing at her. She felt a large mass of chakra approaching, and immediately recognized the most prevalent one.

"Hashirama, what happened with Naruto?" Nina asked the moment he landed next to her.

"The Kyuubi was extracted and he's unconscious but there's still hope." He said as reassuringly as possible.

She did not reply as she knew what was happening over on the other side of the battlefield. She was no longer able to sense his chakra.

"Things are finally complete." Madara observed, glancing over at the Demonic Statue, writhing and glowing a deadly red. Its form was quickly englufed completely by the red light, the creature grew and grew and grew until it was ten thousand times the size of a tailed beast.

Madara had vanished.

Hashirama shot Nina a sideways glance.

"What should we do?" He asked, brows knit.

Her eyes did not leave the creature. There was a dreadfully long silence.

"Gather everyone and take them away. Far away." She stated softly.

Hashirama shook his head.

"You know I won't-"

"But you will. To keep everyone safe." She turned and looked him dead in the eye. She wasn't angry. She wasn't upset. She wasn't fearful. Her expression showed regret. "From the time I stepped into this battle, I thought I could stop him without hurting anyone. I now understand that's not possible. I should have killed him the instant I saw him." She took a deep breath. "But I couldn't. Now I have to make things right." She was pleading with him. "Please."

Hashirama clenched his fists, his chest turned, knowing he was going to do what she asked, no matter how much he didn't want to.

She saw this and understood, a smile spread across her lips.

"Thank you." Her eyes turned to look at the creature again, Madara had put a seal on it. She looked back at Hashirama and gestured for him to go.

His brows knit and his eyes were full of sadness. He had just been reunited with his old friend and he already had to let her go.

"I'll make sure everyone is safe." He promised simply. As soon as the words left his mouth, he disappeared.

Nina smiled to herself, then she, too, disappeared.

* * *

The ten tails that had been revived from the Demonic Statue let out a screech as it was sealed inside Madara.

Nina appeared a distance in front of the glowing form of the said Uchiha. The white light dimmed slowly, and her opponent was revealed.

Spiky white hair cascaded down his back, he wore a white robe with nine tomoe by the collar. A white band lie across his forehead, two pointed horns protruding from it. In his hand was a black staff with half a circle at the top. He was an image of white, even his skin had become incredibly pale. His eyes, however, still held rings of deep purple.

Madara smirked, looking her straight in the eye.

She knew what was coming. They both did.

Nina let out a shallow breath. She held a hand out and the air swirled, a black staff similar to the one he held appeared.

Both shinobi stood tall, staff in their right hand. Both their white robes danced with the wind.

The air became cold.


	31. The Talk

Naruto groaned. A bright light reached his eyes through his closed lids. Upon opening them, he only saw a blurry blob of white light in front of him. When his eyes adjusted, the blob became clearer.

"Who are you?" He asked, squinting slightly. He glanced around, he was in a light purple room. A light purple room without walls. All he could see were unending stretches of nothing on all sides. "Where is this?" He added, turning back to the glowing white figure.

"This is a sperate realm, no longer in the world you know. I have called you here to speak to you." The man said evenly. He was old, a long beard atesting to his age. Deep wrinkles lined his eyes and forehead, his brows were creased and his expression was hard. His eyes were rings of purple, the same shade as the space around them. Two white horns protruded from above his forehead and between them was a third eye, large and red, it held the same rings as the others. It looked similar to Sasuke's sharingan. His hair was white and spiked, his robe was white as well and reminded him of the one his sensei often wore, though his had tomoe lining the collar. The man sat cross legged, beneath his levetating form was nine small black orbs arranged in a circle. Naruto noticed there were also tomoe imprinted around his neck to form another circle. Behind his back was a double sided staff, one that looked oddly familiar.

"Who are you?" He repeated.

The man seemed unimpressed.

"My name is Otsutsuki Hagomoro. Many call me the Sage of Six Paths." He introduced. "I know who you are, Uzumaki Naruto."

The said boy frowned at the mention of his name but did not say a word.

"You are quite familiar with an old friend of mine, Nina."

Naruto's eyes widened.

"What? How do you know sensei?" He questioned, now seeming more interested.

"You will understand later, but first, I must tell you the story of why you are here."

Puzzled, Naruto remained quiet, only giving a small nod to show he was listening.

"Nearly one thousand years ago, my clan settled on Earth. My mother was the head of the clan at that time. They were in search of a special fruit, one that would grant them chakra. My mother was the first to find it as well as the first to gain it's powers. Her name was Otsutsuki Kaguya. Her reign over the clan was prosperous and peaceful, that is, until she gave birth to two sons, my brother and I, who both had inherited chakra. Over time, she became resentful, determined to keep the power to herself. However, she found herself unable to do so for many years and all continued to be at peace.

"From a very young age my bother and I were able to use our chakra, it flowed naturally through us and we were able to do what no one else could. One day, my brother returned home and told me of a girl he had met that day. By chance, I was soon able to meet the same girl. She had overflowing energy and a presence of peace that I had never seen in anyone before or since. The three of us were able to become close and were often around each other. One day, mother saw her and was furious. For reasons I do not understand, she hated her. Pure, unbridled hate.

"My mother began growing restless and, years later, once again attempted to kill my brother and I. She transformed into a terrible beast and rampaged across the village, killing everyone that crossed her path. Together, we were able to stop and seal her, but not without many casualties. Among the hundreds of dead was our friend, who was then a young woman. My brother had taken her death especially poorly and mourned for weeks. After speaking with him, we decided on a way to bring her back. With our combined life forces and chakra, we were able to revive her nearly a month after her death, giving her chakra of her very own. We were both joyful, however, something was different. We had thought she would be delighted; she had always admired our chakra, but she had lost her cheerfulness. She had lost the peace that she once held. Neither of us knew what to do, but with the situation as it was, there was no time to consider what she felt. We acted based on the interests of the clan and soon we relocated to a different place. Most of us."

_"Brother, I fear that there will be corruption among the humans. They have gained chakra and we are unable to know which ones will abuse their power." A young man spoke with deep concern in his voice. He had white hair and two horns curved above his forehead._

_"I have been considering the same. It would be best to appoint someone to watch over them and keep them in line." The second man's hair was the same as the first. The two looked similar but had fully different auras to them._

_"Which man do you suggest, brother?" The first asked, curious as to who would be worthy of such a task._

_"No man, but rather woman. What do you think of Nina?"_

_Surprise crossed the expression of the former._

_"Nina? But why?"_

_"She has a portion of both our chakras, there is none with more potential besides ourselves."_

_"Then shouldn't one of us bear the task?"_

_"Corruption is a constant threat, our powers of creation and destruction must not fall into the hands of manipulators. Even we are not immune to others' influence."_

_"You believe Nina is suitable because her potential is great yet not as great as ours."_

_"Correct."_

_"You forget that she, too, is susceptible to corruption."_

_"We both know that none have greater peace than our dear friend. Her heart is good and I believe her mind will guide her correctly."_

_A momentary pause settled between the brothers._

_"She will need someone to teach her how to use her power." The first man finally agreed, though visibly displeased._

_"I will stay and teach her, you must lead the clan in relocation."_

_Another silence._

_"Very well."_

_Days passed and soon the clan was prepared to leave their home and move to their new one. The older brother stood on one side, a woman of similar age standing next to him. The younger brother stood across from him with the rest of the clan behind him. The two leaders shook hands for what they knew would be the last time._

_"Good luck to both of you. We leave this world in your care." The younger brother bowed his head, as did the clansmen behind him._

_The older brother and the woman copied their motion._

_"Goodbye." The younger smiled sadly as his eyes lingered on the woman._

_"Goodbye!"_

_"Best of luck."_

_"Please take care."_

_"We won't forget you!"_

_All the clan members began fading, fading, fading. Until they were all gone._

_A sorrowful silence fell over the empty field where their home once stood._

_"Let us begin."_

Naruto stared at the ground in front of him, attempting to understand what he had just heard.

"...you mean... Nina-sensei was there when... when you were young?" He knew the Otsutsuki clan were the founders of chakra itself and were hundreds and hundreds of years old. In fact, he thought they wasnt anyone left with that name. Suddenly, he remembered what she had once told him when he asked about her family. She had never said a name but...

_"They now reside in a different land, far away from here."_

"Where did they go?" Naruto asked, still staring at the ground.

"They had moved to the moon, where the beast's husk was sealed."

The boy couldn't find the right words.

"That's why she was always alone." He mummbled sadly. "She was only focused on protecting everyone..." He suddenly felt very guilty for never noticing before.

"I understood that the task I was giving would force her to lead a difficult life, and I cannot repay her for what she has sacrificed. However, she has proven to be more capable than what even I had imagined."

Naruto's eyes widened, suddenly remembering that there was a war going on and his sensei was in danger.

"I need to get out of here! I have to go help!" His eyes snapped up from the ground and darted around, looking for an exit. The older of the two seemed to understand what he was thinking.

"I will send you back. On one condition." The sage held out his hand, a small, crescent shaped stone lay in his palm. It was crystal clear with something undecipherable carved into it. "Give this to her once the battle is finished, it is my last gift to her. It will bring her peace."

Only half listening, Naruto immediately nodded, taking the stone and dropping it in his pocket.

"Can you bring me back now?" As the last word left his mouth, his vision darkened and he was thrown into a state of numbness.

Suddenly, a pale light appeared and pain spread through every part of his body. His arms and legs ached, his chest was tight, and his stomach was on fire.

"He's breathing!" An voice broke through his confusion.

"Quickly, keep him awake!" Another loud voice spoke before the pain was suddenly suppressed.

He lay motionless for an unknown amount of time before he finally had the strength to open his eyes. Four women dressed in full shinobi attire hovered over him. A light green color coated his vision as he glanced around. There was no one else there. The field was barren and dead.

"W... here... is... e... veryone? He croaked, voice dry and cracking.

"Lord First arrived not long ago and cleared everyone out. We insisted that we would stay and ensure your well-being. We promised to follow the others and escape as soon as you were able to come with us. Please, let's hurry." The woman directed the last part to her comrades.

"W...why... did..." His voice faltered and silenced itself. Suddenly, two figures appeared, though Naruto could only see their shadows as they stood behind him.

"Allow me." A deep but gentle voice spoke. He felt the medics move away and someone else kneel beside him. A hand was placed on his forehead and a wave on energy washed over him, it felt as if a ghost had entered his body and given him new life. He carefully moved his arm, then his neck, then cautiously stood up. Not a single muscle hurt. Amazed, he looked to the man who had healed him and, to his shock, his eyes connected with those of the First Hokage.

"W-! Y-you!" He stammered.

The taller man grinned.

"Nice to meet you too, but we need to get out of here. It's not safe." He stated and motioned for Naruto to come with him.

"W-Wait! What about Madara? And where's sensei?" He asked, frantic and confused.

"Madara is being dealt with and I'm sure your sensei has been evacuated with the others." He said assuringly.

"Is she ok? Is she hurt? She was battling Madara earlier and I don't know if she's alright!" Naruto shouted desperately.

The First only stared at him, eyebrows drawn together as though he was worried about something.

"Your sensei, is her name Nina?" He asked slowly.

Naruto blinked, how did he know?

"Y-Yea! Is she with the rest of the army?"

A long silence confirmed his fears.

"She... she's still fighting him, isn't she?" His voice lowered.

* * *

"Nina." Pride coated his voice. "What do you think? Power suited for a King." Madara chuckled.

Nina only glared at him. From her expression he could tell she was getting angrier by the second.

"Finally the task will be completed. Peace is finally within reach." He raised his staff to the sky. "Come, we can rule the new world together. No one will be able to stand up to such great power." He stretched out his left hand, as if expecting her to take it. Instead, she only shot him a poisonous glare.

She lifted her staff an inch off the ground then brought it back down. A thousand cracks formed from where the staff touched the dirt, rocketing out towards Madara. He barely had a moment to react when the ground beneath him split open, a meter wide gap appearing almost instantly.

He managed to narrowly avoid falling into the rift, leaping back and landing on top of a large rock. One of the nine Truth Seeking Balls suspended behind him broke from its position and shot towards Nina. Without so much as lifting a finger, dozens of tiny red orbs flew at the larger black one and molded to form a coat around it. Popping sounds could be heard as the flowing red layer compressed the orb, all the while combating Madara's efforts to save it. Just a second after contact, the black ball had vanished, leaving only the red coat in its place. The liquidous mass broke apart into many smaller spheres which scattered as quickly as they had congregated.

Madara grit his teeth and pressed his palms together. Rock and debris began rising from the ground, gathering around six points of gravity. In a matter of seconds, there were six enormous masses of stone in the air above them. The first crashed down. Then the second. The satellites collided with the earth one after another, all aimed at one spot. Debris was thrown into the air and formed a shroud over the area.

Something leapt out from the fog of dust.

"My turn." A voice from behind him caused Madara to spin around. He felt the attack before he saw it. A red pillar of light hit his stomach, shoving him off the rock and causing him to collide with the side of a cliff. Once the pillar disappeared, he fell to the ground. Managing to push himself up, he glanced at Nina and let out a shallow breath.

"...too much power..." The cloth covering his abdomen had burned away, revealing severely seared skin underneath. For some reason, he was healing much slower than he should have.

Nina stared at the still breathing form of the Uchiha, half irritated, half relieved. She moved her wrist and the rings of her shakujō clanged like wind chimes.

At first, Madara was unsure as to what she was doing, but it quickly became clear when he realized the ground beneath him had bound his ankles. Sending a quick pulse of chakra into the earth, he jumped up and landed ontop of the cliff he had collided with. He would have to be careful moving with such an injury.

For a moment, the two silently stared at each other, too far away to read the other's emotions yet close enough to stir some of their own.

Nina was the first to break eye contact, she shifted her staff and the sky darkened in response. Clouds began forming overhead and blocked out the sun for miles in every direction. From somewhere in the mass of clouds came a spark of electricity. Uncountable sparks appeared throughout the thick blanket of storm clouds and the static soon became so great that the hairs on both shinobi tensed and formed unnatural points.

_**Boom** _

Lightning connected with the ground sending shockwaves deep into the earth. Madara recognized this technique. He had come across it once before...

_An old man sat hunched over a plethora of scrolls, scanning each one with an unrestrained need for knowledge. Every word offered him greater insight into the identity of the woman he once thought he knew so well._

_'The Great Sage is said to have given chakra to many humans after defeating the Ten Tails, though it is thought there was one individual who received this great power long before any other..."_

He had gone through much trouble to find and retrieve these scrolls, some of which were hundreds of years old. In fact, there was even one that was theorized to have been written by an Otsutsuki themself.

_Many techniques from the great clan have been lost as the whereabouts of the few manuscripts that held such information are unknown. However, the few that have been recovered are listed below..._

Madara had never heard of any of those jutsus before, though he assumed that was due to the diminished practice of ninshu in modern times. Among the unimaginably complicated and powerful techniques was one that originally seemed rather unimpressive at the time.

_'The user summons fearsome lightning strikes and fills the air with a lethal amount static. He will then use his own chakra to instantly negate the electricity, this will create a vacuum, void of all energy. The inevitable result is a massive draining of chakra, the Earth's attempt at restoring balance to that space. Any individual in the affected range will lose their chakra. Once chakra has been injected into the static, this technique will only conclude when balance has been restored. The user is not immune to this technique.'_

So she plans to take herself out with him.

'Foolish woman.'

* * *

"Naruto! Please stop!" Hashirama called as he caught up to the boy.

They were running back towards the battlefield. He couldn't let Naruto back there.

"I'm not going to leave sensei alone with him! She could get hurt!" He shouted as he sped up. Almost there!

"She asked me to bring everyone away to keep them safe! We have to trust that she can take care of herself!" Hashirama urged. He heard no response for a long while.

"Look, I don't know what's really happening, but from what I've been told sensei isn't who I thought she was." The look in his eyes showed a cauldron of emotion. Hurt. Confusion. Resolve. "If you're really friends with sensei like you said you were, then please understand that I have to do this. I'm not going to run to safety while she's risking her life."

Hashirama stared at the boy in surprise. Suddenly, he let out a loud laugh.

"Bold words for a kid! But I suppose you're right!" He grinned. That was probably what he would have said when he was younger. "We better hurry if we want to help."

Naruto smiled and nodded firmly. They were only a few minutes away at this point.

Overhead, the puffy white clouds turned dark and heavy.


	32. The Princess

As Hashirama and Naruto approached the scene of the battle, two ever so familiar people came into view. Above their heads, the dark clouds circled angrily, spitting out bolts of lightning. Naruto would have eagerly leapt towards the pair had the chakra presence not been as heavy as it was, it almost made him question whether or not he should interfere. Apparently Hashirama had been thinking the same thing and both of them stopped a good distance away from the center.

"Pity." Madara commented mockingly. "Lived a thousand years only for it to end by your own hand." He smirked.

Nina remained silent, he could practically see the chakra rolling off of her in waves. No doubt, this would be her last attack.

_"Madara." Nina emerged from behind, stepping to stand beside him. He gave a hum of recognition. "Why did you agree?" She inquired in her usual tone._

_He didn't need to ask to know what she was referring to, after all, it was just a few days ago when he had finally agreed to join forces with the Senju._

_"I've been asking myself the same." Once upon a time he would never have imagined he would give in to Hashirama's persistent talk of peace, but recently he'd been doubting himself. Perhaps the Senju, as annoying as he was, had a point. "If this village is successful, it could lead to a better world for the children who live in it. They won't have to know pain, they won't grow up in war like you and I did." He stated, gazing over the empty field where their village was soon to stand._

_"I never knew you cared so much about your clan." Nina commented, an amused smile on her face._

_"Woman, do not test me." His tone lowered, earning a chuckle from the woman._

_"You are much kinder than you make yourself out to be." She mused, turning to leave before he could snap at her again._

The static in the air slowly grew thicker and thicker, so much so that, combined with the immense presence emitting from the two, it would have felt nearly impossible to breathe.

Both shinobi readied themselves for what they knew was coming.

_Nina sat cross-legged on the roof of the newly completed Hokage Tower, underneath her hundreds of red tiles gleamed in the afternoon sun. It was an excellent vantage point to oversee the village. From this angle, she could see compounds that were both completed and in progress, she could see people who were moving their belongings into their new homes, she could see the nearby stream rushing about as it always did._

_What else did she see? Well, for one, there was a rather foul-looking Uchiha stomping through the village. It wasn't much of a mystery anymore, he would often come out of meetings with the same bitter face when something didn't go his way._

_Even from a distance, their eyes locked and she beckoned for him to come. In an instant, he appeared beside her, glare still in place._

_"What do you want?" He questioned impatiently._

_The woman only patted the spot next to her._

_Taking a deep breath, he lowered himself down and sat on the warm red tiles._

_"Did you and Hashirama have another disagreement?" She asked, eyes still focused on the passerbys below._

_A grunt confirmed her suspicion._

_"The Senju wants the training fields by the Uchiha compound to become public once the village begins to grow." He stated with clear disapproval._

_"And you want it to be reserved for your clan." She sighed. "Madara, you really must learn to compromise. Things will be much better within this village if its leaders don't argue over everything."_

_A frown made its way onto his face._

_"A house divided in itself cannot stand."_

_"Do not lecture me, Nina."_

_She was almost surprised to hear him call her by her name instead of the usual "woman."_

_"I am not lecturing, only giving advice. As a friend." She assured him._

_He scoffed and rolled his eyes._

_"You think I consider you a friend?" He questioned mockingly._

_Nina turned to him and analyzed his expression, a small smirk appearing on her lips._

_"Of course you do." She stated, only causing Madara to give a 'tsk'. A light smile rested on her face. "At least that's what I think of you." She shrugged, turning back to gaze at the glowing orange sun as it lingered just above the horizon._

_Unbeknownst to her, a light flush crossed the Uchiha's face as he turned away._

_"Foolish woman..." He muttered lowly._

Naruto and Hashirama exchanged uneasy glances when the air grew heavier and heavier. Neither of them knew what was happening nor what to expect. What they did know was that with those two going all out, something bad was bound to happen.

The clouds swirled angrily as if they themselves were seeking revenge.

"Do you really intend to die by your own hand?" Madara questioned with mock sadness. "What an honor to be able to be a part of this." He smirked. Nina shot him a glare, her grip on the staff tightening. A bolt of lightning broke through the clouds and struck the earth between them.

"An honor indeed..." A new voice echoed deeply.

Both shinobi tensed as a black shadow began creeping over the Uchiha's body. The vague shape of two eyes and a mouth formed from the black creature. Once it had fully covered Madara's body, it grinned sharply.

"How wonderful it is to finally meet you." It eyed Nina with both caution and malice.

"And who might you be?" She asked, able to keep a calm visage.

The being laughed.

"You don't know me?" It chuckled to itself. "I suppose you wouldn't. I am none other than Kaguya's will!" It proclaimed with a cackle.

Nina's eyes narrowed at the name.

The creature continued, "Yes, the great Princess of your very own clan. I've been watching you closely. Indeed, I was surprised at first. Your existence was a surprise to me. I was my mother's secret weapon, I suppose you would be Hagomoro's." It grinned wildly as Nina's fists clenched.

'Kaguya created this being? Impossible. Hagomoro would have mentioned it...'

"As much as I would love to keep watching this battle, I have something I must do."

Madara's body lifted into the air. It seems the creature was controlling him and he couldn't fight back. It turned to face the moon that was blocked by the dense clouds, Madara's Rinnengan both pulsed, the moon mirroring their actions.

A ray of bloody red light pushed through the blanket of heavy clouds and something inside Nina immediately screamed danger.

* * *

...not yet...

...not yet...

...not yet...

Now.

Nina brought down the earthen shield she had formed around herself and looked at the aftermath in terror.

Enormous branch-like structures spiked from the ground, each one with hundreds of white cocoons hanging to it. She could see a core of chakra inside each and every wrapped figure.

'...impossible...' She grit her teeth.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" She turned to see the figure of Madara coated by the same black creature. "I only wish there could have been an audience for this, but I suppose Mother would much prefer to see a fellow clansmen."

Nina didn't have time to question what that meant before Madara's form began swelling and contorting. His body quickly expanded to a terribly unnatural size and, still covered with the black shadow, started emitting a strong chakra presence.

"Finally..." The shadow hissed as it dripped down from the Uchiha's body. "Finally..."

A bright light suddenly consumed his form, so bright that Nina had to shield her eyes. When the light faded, what she saw made her body numb.

A woman. Two horns protruding from her forehead, flowing kimono embroidered with royal purple tomoe and other bright colors. Long white hair splayed behind her as she rested just above the ground, her pale white eyes turned to Nina. Her eyes narrowed as she scanned the familiar woman. Her cold gaze shifted to the shakujō beside her.

"Hagomoro's staff..." Her voice was soft yet filled with hatred. "The orphan girl. Why are you here?"

Before Nina could answer, she spoke again.

"This chakra... why do you have their chakra? My sons, I see both their powers within you."

Nina found her voice and tightened her jaw.

"Hagomoro and Hamura gave parts of their chakra to revive me."

The princess stared emptily.

"Is that so? Indeed I almost see myself in you."

Keyword: almost.

"You were unaffected by the moon's light, but I will now reclaim my chakra." She took a step forwards.

"Sensei!" A shout made both women turn their heads. A blur of yellow dashed across their vision and a figure appeared between the two. "Are you ok?" Naruto turned, scanning her for any injuries.

Nina frowned.

"Leave now." She commanded bluntly.

Naruto shook his head.

"I'm not g-"

"Leave. Now." She cut him off. She wasn't joking in the slightest, her eyes told that much.

"Sorry Nina, I couldn't convince him to stay behind." A voice appeared at her side.

"As if you tried, Hashirama." She shot angrily, only receiving a sheepish grin in return. "Take him and leave. Teleport to the others." She said.

"I doubt he's going to-"

"Shut up."

Hashirama glanced at her, surprise evident in his face. Never, in all their years together, had she snapped at him before.

"You don't understand what you are dealing with. You don't know how powerful she is." Her gaze was fixed on Kaguya. "I will not let him be harmed." She stated.

There was a silence among the three.

Then a chuckle.

"Heh, you don't have to worry about me, Sensei. I know I can help, believe it!" Naruto grinned a wide grin.

Nina let out a shallow breath, there was no way she was going to get him to leave. She would just have to make sure Kaguya didn't touch him.

"Hashirama, I am trusting you to keep an eye on him. Don't let him do anything stupid." She stepped forward to face the older woman.

"I see in your eyes that you intend to fight." Kaguya stated. "I see no need for that, I will offer you the chance to surrender now and you will feel no pain."

Nina frowned at the statement.

"I'm not one to give up so easily." She stated with unbridled resolve.

Kaguya was unaffected.

"Then we will continue this elsewhere."

The next thing they knew, they were standing above a raging ocean.

"Woa-!" Naruto was stunned for a spilt second before realizing that he was plummeting straight into the violent waves below. He squeezed his eyes shut, waiting for the splash of impact.

When it didn't come, he dared to crack open his eyes. Under his feet was a strange black disk that kept him floating in the air. Besides him was Hashirama who had one under him as well. They looked at each other with shared relief.

A few meters away were the two women who were locked in a stare-down. Kaguya was the first to break it, bringing her hand in a downwards motion. Nina was hit by an invisible force that shoved her a good five feet closer to the treterous sea below before she let a pulse of chakra, negating the force and regaining her balance. She gripped her staff and twisted her wrist. Instead of the chime-like sounds it made earlier, hundreds of tiny glimmering spikes shot out from the center of the ring on the shakujō, all headed straight for Kaguya. The princess held out a hand and the spikes crashed into an unseen wall, falling to be swallowed by the waves. Something shot past her neck and she narrowed her eyes; somehow one spike had gotten past the barrier.

"Interesting." Kaguya mused as she pointed two fingers at the other woman, a red light emerged from her fingertips and darted towards its target. Nina held out her staff which now glowed with the same red light, it spit out an identical pillar of light and the two sides collided. Intense heat was released as the beams battled one another, even the water below them began bubbling. Nina silently cursed her situation. She had already used some of her chakra in her fight with Madara and now she had to find a way to reseal Kaguya, not to mention she didn't have access to her underground chakra reserves while she was in this dimension. She would have to be careful with her strategy.

'Quite the task.' She frowned.

"I do not understand why you keep fighting." A voice broke through her thoughts. "Though you may have my sons' chakra, you could never match their power. Why is it that you believe you can succeed against me?" Kaguya questioned, expression remaining blank and stoic.

Nina remained silent for a moment.

"I may not be as strong as they were, but I trust that Hagomoro left me with all I needed to know. Even against you." She stated with full confidence in her old friend.

The princess frowned ever so slightly, perhaps the first sign of emotion she's displayed since her revival.

"You always did seem closer to Hagomoro, though you were fond of Hamura as well." She remembered.

Nina was surprised, bringing up the past at a time like this?

"They were lonely before, they only had each other, so when Hagomoro told me they had made a friend, I was quite happy.

"When I first met you, I saw the look in Hamura's eyes. It was unmistakable, as young as he was. He had taken a liking to you, one that he himself didn't notice at the time. It was then that I began hating you. You would take my sons away from me, that was something I could not allow."

Impossible.

Hamura...

"It seems even this reincarnation has inherited his affection."

Nina looked up to see Kaguya staring at her own hand. She suddenly realized what she was talking about.

"Madara..."

"So it seems." The princess' cold gaze returned to Nina. "Now I will reclaim my sons' chakra." An unveiled anger overtook her voice.

Nina was flung back by a blast of chakra and nearly fell into the tides below had it not been for the five remaining orbs behind her repositioning themselves under her feet. She was crouching with a hand over her mouth to suppress a cough. Upon removing it, the blood on her palm didn't surprise her too much, it had been a while since she's taken a hit like that.

As Nina pushed herself up and stared at the princess, an idea came to mind. A small smile spread across her lips.

"You want my chakra?" She took a step forward and disappeared.

"Take it."

Kaguya heard the voice from behind her and spun around, ready to attack... only to find that she couldn't move.

Nina's hand was pressed against her back and a massive amount of dense chakra had been injected into her body. As expansive as the princess' reserve was, adding this much would shock her body and paralyze her for just a few seconds.

A few seconds.

That was all she needed.

Nina was noticeably more tired now, a bead of sweat rolled down her neck and her breathing was erratic. She had to hurry, she had used most of her chakra. A black seal appeared around her hand and it glowed a deadly red.

"This is not our time, we should return to where we belong." Nina said as she placed her other hand over her own chest, the same seal spread across the white fabric.

Her eyes met Naruto's as both she and Kaguya began to fade. The terror on his face made her heart sink, yet she knew she couldn't stop now.

"Three eighty north, forty eight west. Good luck, Naruto." She smiled weakly as she disappeared, taking Kaguya with her.


	33. The End

Three years passed in the blink of an eye and Konoha hadn't changed much.

Naruto groaned as his alarm clock rang loudly next to his ear. He gathered up the energy to roll over and smacked the off button. Rubbing his eyes tiredly, he propped himself up and hopped out from under the sheets, groggily putting his clothes on, all the while trying not to trip over the numerous objects strewn about the floor.

In five minutes, Naruto had managed to fully wake up and get ready for the day. With everything ready to go, he strapped his weapons pouch to his leg and stuffed a slice of toast into his mouth. He dashed for the front door but stopped at a small table a few feet away. Quickly kneeling in front of the table, he pressed his hands together and bowed to the two pictures resting in front of him.

"Mom, Dad, I'm going now." He said to them as he did every morning. He scooted a bit too the right and bowed again. This time, there was no picture, instead, there was an old, full kunai that had been placed on a miniature round cushion. "I'm going now, sensei." After saying his quick goodbyes, he slipped his shoes on and sped out of the apartment.

"Hey guys!" Naruto waved as he burst through the door of the Hokage's office.

"You're late." An irritated Tsunade frowned at the boy. Hinata and Sakura gestured for him to stand next to them. "As I was saying, the three of you will be going to scout out a section of the forest. There's been a rumor going on among the younger kids that involves that part of the forest and apparently some of them have been going in and getting lost. All you need to do is patrol that area for a few hours and make sure no children are entering the forest." She handed Sakura a file folder. "I'm sure I can trust you all with this."

"Graaaannnny, why do we have to go on such a boring mission?" Naruto complained.

"Because everyone else is already on a mission and you three were the only ones suited for the job." Tsunade glared. "If you don't want this one, the academy could always use a few extra teachers..."

"NO! We'll go scout the forest!" Naruto nodded his head vigorously and quickly dragged Hinata and Sakura out of the office.

Shizune laughed.

"That last mission really scared him, didn't it?" She smiled.

"Certainly taught him a lesson." Tsunade smirked triumphantly. She slid open the top drawer of her desk and put a few papers away, being careful not to place any on top of the small book that lay in the corner. The book seemed quite old; it was a childrens' book with a cartoon version of the first Hokage on the cover. Though faded and fragile, it was in relatively good condition.

* * *

"Isn't it weird that we've been put on the same mission?" Naruto asked as the trio headed towards the targeted section of the forest.

"I guess Tsunade-sama really didn't have any other choice, why else would she make a team like this?"

Sakura was right, putting two kunoichi on the same team was nearly unheard of.

"It's just for this mission, anyways. Everyone else should be back soon." She added. The two nodded in agreement.

"We should hurry, Tsunade-sama said the previous scouts are waiting for us." Hinata reminded softly.

A few minutes later, the trio arrived at the section of the forest where they were greeted by a boy about the same age as them.

"Oh, Sakura-san. Are you on the next shift?" The boy asked, surprised.

Sakura nodded.

"Mmhm. Souichi, you know Naruto. Naruto, this is Souichi, he's on Team 7 with Sasuke and I."

The two smiled and nodded at each other.

"I'm pretty sure I've seen you a couple times before, nice to finally meet you." Naruto grinned.

"You too, I've heard a lot about you." Souichi returned the gesture. He turned back to Sakura. "Well, there isn't much to fill you in on. The situation is pretty well under control and you shouldn't have too much trouble, just keep an eye out for the kids. They'll find all kinds of ways to get into that forest." He sighed.

"Don't worry, we'll take care of things from here." Sakura assured.

"Good to hear, the rest of my team should be out any second now so I'll see you guys later." Souichi waved a goodbye before darting towards the Hokage Tower

"I guess our shift starts now. If there's any trouble and you need backup, just fire a flare signal and the rest of us will be there as soon as possible. Alright?" Naruto asked.

"Alright." The two girls nodded.

"Cool, now spread out!"

And the three scattered towards different parts of the forest.

* * *

Naruto silently made his way through the trees. He had volunteered to take the deepest part of the wooded area which means his region was the region 300-450 meters past the tree line. It was around 350 meters in that he noticed the dirt path he was traveling on began to disappear and he was left with nothing but his senses to guide him. He could feel Sakura and Hinata's chakra moving about a distance behind him, each patrolling their own area. Glancing around at the thickening foliage, he wondered why any of the children would want to come here. It definitely wouldn't take much for them to get lost, plus the place felt hostile, as if it didn't want him there.

'We'll only be here for a day, then the other team will take over for a while.' He reminded himself. 'Just relax and do your job.' He thought reassuringly.

Brushing off his jitteriness, he braved himself and continued into the forest.

A few hours had passed and Naruto had made three rounds across his area and so far no kids were to be found. He decided to take a break and sat down on a large boulder that had somehow become wedged between two enormous oak trees. He closed his eyes and tuned out the sounds around him. He could see his two teammates wandering around, each were around a hundred meters away from him. They seemed to be pretty bored too. Souichi was right, it was going to be an uneventful day.

"Sshhhh!"

Naruto snapped open his eyes when he heard the sound.

"There's been people guarding these areas for the past few days so we have to be careful!" A voice whispered from somewhere beneath him.

Naruto silently repositioned himself to peer over to the other side of the boulder.

"My mom's going to kill me if we get caught..." A different voice replied glumly.

"That's why we're not going to get caught! Come on guys, just follow me and we'll be fine."

A few crunching noises told Naruto that the group was moving deeper into the foliage. He climbed onto one of the large trees next to him and was finally able to see who the offenders were. Four boys, all around ten years old, moved through the forest as quietly as they could manage, though they still snapped a few branches and shuffled a few leaves. They didn't have any clan symbols on them but they were most likely from Konoha as Naruto had seen one of them around before.

"Where is the house anyways?" The tallest boy asked.

"I don't know, but Kazuaki said it was somewhere around here." A redhead spoke, he seemed to be the leader of the group. "He said 200 paces west from the little river, I think."

"Let's just hurry and find it, there's jonin patrolling this area and I don't want to get caught. We shouldn't be here..." The shortest of the group frowned.

"Whatever, let's go." The redhead began tiptoeing forward.

Naruto leapt from tree to tree, following them as they encountered a small stream then started heading west while counting their steps.

"One fourty-eight, One fourty-nine, one fif-"

"There it is!" The boys looked up to see an old wooden cabin. Its walls were worn and moss had crept up to cover half of its height. The four boys approached the door which happened to remain untouched by the green blanket, glancing at each other nervously.

"You think we should go in? What if there's someone inside?" The tallest boy whispered nervously.

"There isn't going to be anyone, no one's been in here for years. I mean just look at it!" The redhead brushed off his concern and turned the doorknob.

"What do you think you're doing?"

A voice made them whip around, hearts leaping from their chests.

"I-I... w-w-we're just..." The redhead stuttered, he could find any words.

"You know you're not supposed to be here. All four of you are trespassing." Naruto spoke sternly.

"We're really sorry!" The brunette who had remained silent thus far spoke up. "We only came here because they said there used to be a creepy old person who lived in here and there could have been some stuff left behind and they dared us to go find it or-"

"Alright, alright, I get it." Naruto cut him off. "Just get out of here before you get hurt or something." He said, motioning for them to hurry up and leave. The boys nodded quickly and scurried back towards the direction they came from.

Naruto watched as they hurriedly moved through the leaves and disappeared from sight. He grinned slightly, he probably would have snuck in here too when he was younger. He was about to go and do another round around his section when something told him to stop.

Puzzled as to why he felt like he needed to stay, Naruto glanced around the area. There didn't seem to be any danger nearby. He frowned, unsure of what he was looking for until he turned around to face to small wooden house. Suddenly, a feeling of familiarity washed over him and an image of the house before it was covered in moss flashed in his mind.

He'd been here before, he just didn't remember when.

He stepped up to the door, there was no harm in investigating, right? Right. He nodded to himself and placed a hand on the wooden doorknob. Immediately upon contact, a small portion of chakra was torn from his fingertips. He pulled back instinctively.

A light creak was heard as the door cracked open. Now on high alert, he pushed the door open some more and took a cautious step inside.

The house was completely empty aside for a small white object lying on the floor at the center of the room. Getting closer, he realized it was a flat, plate-like stone with a circle carved neatly into the top. He was about to pick it up when something bright emerged from the circle. A familiar figure materialized above it.

"...sensei?" Naruto's eyes widened as a faded image of the white haired woman was projected into the room.

"Hello Naruto. I'm glad you were able to find this house. I apologize for the inconvenience, I understand it is a distance away from the village. I do not know how long it will have been by the time you find this but I hope the war is long in the past." The recording spoke in a voice he hadn't heard for so many years, it brought back memories he had tried so hard to bury. "I apologize sincerely for not being able to give you a proper goodbye, I can only hope you understand why. I am leaving this so that I can explain why I did what I did. Please listen carefully since this projection will only play once. First, you should know about my past. You see, I was born a very long time ago into a clan called the Ōtsutsuki..."

* * *

Naruto lay on his bed, staring unmoving at the ceiling. He clutched the white stone disk to his chest. In his mind, the words of his sensei repeated over and over.

He had gotten some answers, yes, but many more questions. He had tried to get the recording to replay but nothing worked. He sighed and closed his eyes, grip tightening around the rounded stone. One thing she'd said had been stuck in his mind since yesterday. It was the last thing she'd left him with before the recording ended and she disappeared for the final time.

A small, pained smile appeared on his face as tears flowed freely.

* * *

_"I regret many things I've done in my life, but teaching you is not one of them. I wish you the best of luck in your future, I know you will do great things."_


End file.
